Brandon Herscovitch, Eileen M. Roscoe, Myrna E. Libby, Jason C. Bourret, & William H. Ahearn.
A procedure for identifying precursors to problem behavior.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
42, 697-702.
We describe a procedure for differentiating among potential precursor
responses for use in a functional analysis. Conditional probability analysis
of descriptive assessment data identified three potential precursors. Results
from the indirect assessment corresponded with those obtained from
the descriptive assessment. The top-ranked response identified as a
precursor according to the indirect assessment had the strongest relation
according to the probability analysis. When contingencies were arranged
for the precursor in a functional analysis, the same function was identified
as for target behavior, supporting the utility of indirect and descriptive
methods to identify precursor behavior empirically.
DESCRIPTORS: descriptive assessment, functional analysis, precursors, problem behavior, response-class hierarchies