Kimberly J. Dwyer-Moore & Mark R. Dixon. (2007) Functional analysis and treatment of problem behavior of elderly adults in long-term care. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40, 679-683.

Functional analyses were conducted for the problem behavior of 3 older adults in a long-term care setting. Two of the problem behaviors were maintained by attention, and a third was maintained by escape from demands. Function-based interventions were implemented that resulted in decreases in problem behavior in each case. Implications for the use of functional analysis and function-based interventions in the field of gerontology are discussed.

DESCRIPTORS: functional analysis, behavioral gerontology, elderly, nursing home, long-term care