Adel C. Najdowski, Michele D. Wallace, Carrie L. Ellsworth, Alicia N.
MacAleese, & Jackie M. Cleveland. (2008).
Functional analyses and treatment of precursor behavior.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
41, 97-105.
Functional analysis has been demonstrated to be an effective method to
identify environmental variables that maintain problem behavior. However,
there are cases when conducting functional analyses of severe problem
behavior may be contraindicated. The current study applied functional
analysis procedures to a class of behavior that preceded severe problem
behavior (precursor behavior) and evaluated treatments based on the
outcomes of the functional analyses of precursor behavior. Responding
for all participants was differentiated during the functional analyses, and
individualized treatments eliminated precursor behavior. These results suggest
that functional analysis of precursor behavior may offer an alternative, indirect
method to assess the operant function of severe problem behavior.
DESCRIPTORS: functional analysis, functional communication training,
precursor behavior, response class, severe problem behavior