Eileen M. Roscoe, Abbey Carreau, Jackie MacDonald, & Sacha T. Pence. (2008)
Further evaluation of leisure items in the attention condition of functional analyses.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
41, 351-364.
Research suggests that including leisure items in the attention condition of a functional analysis
may produce engagement that masks sensitivity to attention. In this study, 4 individuals’ initial
functional analyses indicated that behavior was maintained by nonsocial variables (n = 3)
or by attention (n = 1). A preference assessment was used to identify items for subsequent
functional analyses. Four conditions were compared, attention with and without leisure items and
control with and without leisure items. Following this, either high- or low-preference items were
included in the attention condition. Problem behavior was more probable during the attention
condition when no leisure items or low-preference items were included, and lower levels of problem
behavior were observed during the attention condition when high-preference leisure items were
included. These findings suggest how preferred items may hinder detection of behavioral function.
DESCRIPTORS: assessment, autism, functional analysis, problem behavior