Hanley, G. P., Iwata, B. A., & McCord, B. E. (2003).
Functional analysis of problem behavior: A review.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
36, 147-185.
Functional analysis methodology focuses on the identification of
variables that influence the occurrence of problem behavior and
has become a hallmark of contemporary approaches to behavioral
assessment. In light of the widespread use of pretreatment
functional analyses in articles published in this and other
journals, we reviewed the literature in an attempt to identify
best practices and directions for future research. Studies
included in the present review were those in which (a) a
pretreatment assessment based on (b) direct observation and
measurement of (c) problem behavior was conducted under (d) at
least two conditions involving manipulation of an environmental
variable in an attempt (e) to demonstrate a relation between the
environmental event and behavior. Studies that met the criteria
for inclusion were quantified and critically evaluated along a
number of dimensions related to subject and setting
characteristics, parametric and qualitative characteristics of
the methodology, types of assessment conditions, experimental
designs, topographies of problem behaviors, and the manner in
which data were displayed and analyzed.
DESCRIPTORS: _functional analysis, assessment, problem behavior
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