Michael E. Kelley, M. Alice Shillingsburg, M. Jicel Castro, Laura R. Addison, Robert H. LaRue, Jr., & Megan P. Martins (2007).
Assessment of the functions of vocal behavior in children with developmental disabilities: A replication.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
40, 571-576.
Although experimental analysis methodologies have been useful for identifying
the function of a wide variety of target behaviors (e.g., Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer,
Bauman, & Richman, 1982/1994), only recently have such procedures been
applied to verbal operants (Lerman et al., 2005). In the current study, we
conducted a systematic replication of the methodology developed by Lerman
et al. Participants were 4 children who had been diagnosed with
developmental disabilities and who engaged in limited vocal behavior. The
function of vocal behavior was assessed by exposing target vocal responses
to experimental analyses. Results showed that experimental analyses were
generally useful for identifying the functions of vocal behavior across all
participants.
DESCRIPTORS: autism, developmental disabilities, functional analysis, language, speech, verbal behavior