David A. Wilder, Liyu Chen, Julie Atwell, Josh Pritchard, & Phillip Weinstein. (2006)
Brief functional analysis and treatment of tantrums associated with transitions
in preschool children.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
39, 103-107.
A brief functional analysis was used to examine the influence of termination
of prechange activities and initiation of postchange activities on tantrums
exhibited by 2 preschool children. For 1 participant, tantrums were maintained
by access to certain (pretransition) activities. For a 2nd participant, tantrums
were maintained by avoidance of certain task initiations. Although advance
notice of an upcoming transition was ineffective, differential reinforcement
of other behavior plus extinction reduced tantrums for both participants.
DESCRIPTORS: brief functional analysis, preschool children, transitions