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. 2008 Spring;41(1):97-105.
doi: 10.1901/jaba.2008.41-97.

Functional analyses and treatment of precursor behavior

Adel C Najdowski  1 , Michele D Wallace, Carrie L Ellsworth, Alicia N MacAleese, Jackie M Cleveland
Affiliations

Functional analyses and treatment of precursor behavior

Adel C Najdowski et al. J Appl Behav Anal. 2008 Spring.

Abstract

Functional analysis has been demonstrated to be an effective method to identify environmental variables that maintain problem behavior. However, there are cases when conducting functional analyses of severe problem behavior may be contraindicated. The current study applied functional analysis procedures to a class of behavior that preceded severe problem behavior (precursor behavior) and evaluated treatments based on the outcomes of the functional analyses of precursor behavior. Responding for all participants was differentiated during the functional analyses, and individualized treatments eliminated precursor behavior. These results suggest that functional analysis of precursor behavior may offer an alternative, indirect method to assess the operant function of severe problem behavior.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Precursor behaviors per minute during Brent's, Pete's, and Tom's functional analyses.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Responses per minute for precursor behavior, severe problem behavior (aggression for Brent and Pete and masturbation and grabbing for Tom), alternative mands (Brent and Pete), and prompted and independent alternative mands (Tom) during baseline (BL), FCT, and extended 30-min sessions (Tom) for Brent, Pete, and Tom.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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