Derby, K. M., Wacker, D. P., Berg, W., DeRaad, A., Ulrich, S., Asmus, J., Harding, J., Prouty, A., Laffey, P., & Stoner, E. A. (1997).
The long-term effects of functional communication training in home settings.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
30, 507-531.
A four-phase study was conducted in the homes of 4 young children
who displayed aberrant behavior. Phases 1 and 2 consisted of a
series of descriptive and experimental analyses to identify the
environmental antecedents and consequences that controlled
aberrant behavior. Phases 3 and 4 evaluated the short- and
long-term effects of treatment on aberrant behavior, target
mands, and collateral (social and toy play) behaviors. The
effects of treatment were monitored for up to 27 months to assess
long-term suppression of aberrant behavior. The assessment
results successfully identified environmental events that
occasioned and maintained aberrant behavior for all children. The
short-term treatment resulted in immediate decreases in aberrant
behavior for 3 of 4 children. Long-term treatment was successful
for all children and was correlated with substantial response
generalization. These results are interpreted in relation to
functional equivalence, pivotal responding, and response
generalization.
DESCRIPTORS: aberrant behavior, functional communication training,
long-term treatment