|
| Recent Advancements to Clarify Inconclusive Functional Analyses of Problem Behavior |
| Saturday, May 24, 2025 |
| 3:00 PM–4:50 PM |
| Marriott Marquis, M4 Level, Capitol & Congress |
| Area: DDA/AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: Patrick Romani (University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus) |
| Discussant: Joel Eric Ringdahl (University of Georgia) |
| CE Instructor: Patrick Romani, Ph.D. |
| Abstract: Functional analysis represents a major advancement in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. Between 2012 – 2022, Melanson and Fahmie (2023) summarized data from 1,333 functional analyses included in 326 studies. Of these functional analyses, 8.9% resulted in inconclusive results. The purpose of the current symposium will be to present novel methods geared towards clarifying inconclusive functional analyses of problem behavior. Sodano and colleagues will present results of a systematic literature review identifying pre-assessments that can be used to increase the likelihood of producing conclusive functional analysis findings. Layman et al. will present on strategies to enhance differentiation during extended ignore series with the goal of evaluating problem behavior maintenance by automatic reinforcement. Roth et al. will present compelling data on analysis of response class hierarchies to clarify inconclusive functional analyses. Finally, Brown et al. will describe strategies for clarifying functional analysis results to identify automatically reinforced aggressive behaviors. Audience members will learn to identify and subsequently modify functional analyses that produce initially inconclusive results using the data presented by these four research teams. |
| Instruction Level: Intermediate |
| Keyword(s): Automatic reinforcement, Functional analysis, Response hierarchy |
| Target Audience: Intermediate. Audience members should be familiar with conducting, interpreting, and modifying functional analyses of problem behavior in clinical settings. |
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify an inconclusive functional analysis
2. State three ways to modify the functional analysis when presented with inconclusive results
3. Describe three pre-assessments that can be conducted prior to a functional analysis to avoid inconclusive results |
| |
| On the Pre-Assessments Used to Inform Experimental Functional Analyses: A Concise Review |
| SOPHIA SODANO (Eastern Michigan University), Adam M. Briggs (Eastern Michigan University), Omar Elwasli (Eastern Michigan University), Grace Kovacich (Eastern Michigan University) |
| Abstract: Indirect and descriptive assessments within the functional behavior assessment (FBA) process generate hypotheses of behavioral function and inform functional analysis (FA) conditions. In contrast, other assessments, such as demand and stimulus preference assessments, seek to identify specific antecedent and consequent stimuli. However, no clear guidelines exist in the literature for which methods one should use. The mixed reliability and validity of indirect and descriptive FBA assessments raise uncertainty about whether their selection affects the hypotheses or stimuli used in FAs, potentially impacting FA design and behavioral function(s) identification. The purpose of this review was to (a) survey recent literature to identify the pre-assessments used to inform FAs, (b) determine common procedural approaches, and (c) conduct analyses to determine if some approaches are correlated with particular outcomes. We reviewed 85 studies published between 2020 and 2022. Results indicate open-ended indirect assessments (n = 191), leisure item or activity preference assessments (n = 209), and descriptive assessments (n = 217) were the most commonly utilized pre-assessments. We discuss the implications of these and other findings and propose areas for future investigation. |
| |
| Evaluation of Enriching the Environment When Assessing for Behavior Maintained by Automatic Reinforcement |
| LAUREN LAYMAN (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Mindy Christine Scheithauer (Marcus Autism Center), Meara X. H. McMahon (Marcus Autism Center and Emory School of Medicine), Esther Lee (Children's Healthcare of Atlanta- Marcus Autism Center) |
| Abstract: Extended alone assessments are often completed at the beginning of a functional analysis to screen for automatic functions (Querim et al., 2013). It is generally recommended that alone sessions are austere, that is, they do not include leisure items (Rooker et al., 2015). However, austere environments may decrease the social validity of the assessment (Bottini et al., 2021). The current study seeks to assess a modification to this standardized automatic screening procedure by including moderately-preferred items during alone and ignore sessions. Participants included youth with intellectual or developmental disabilities who engaged in disruptive behavior. Each participant was exposed to both a traditional alone phase (i.e., without any leisure items) and a modified alone phase (i.e., with moderately-preferred leisure items). Congruence between the results of both phases occurred for 8 out of 9 participants (88.9%). This suggests that inclusion of moderately-preferred leisure items to enrich the environment when conducting tests for behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement may not negatively impact the validity of results. |
| |
| Response Class Hierarchies in Functional Assessment: Implications for Practice |
| HANNAH MARIAN ROTH (Kennedy Krieger Institute, The University of Maryland Baltimore County), Emily Ann Chesbrough (Amigo Care ABA), John Falligant (Auburn University) |
| Abstract: Functional analyses (FA) are a cornerstone of behavior assessment, yet they occasionally yield inconclusive or ambiguous results, particularly when multiple topographies of behavior are involved. One potential reason for these inconclusive outcomes is the presence of a response class hierarchy, where different forms of behavior within a response class emerge at various points based on the strength and history of reinforcement contingencies. Our presentation examines the role of response class hierarchies in contributing to inconclusive FA results and highlights the importance of systematically evaluating these hierarchies to better understand behavior-environment interactions. This approach is especially critical when addressing complex cases of severe problem behavior, where understanding the full range of behavioral responses to environmental contingencies is necessary for effective treatment planning. We present illustrative findings that underscore the need for practitioners to consider response class hierarchies in the assessment process, as doing so may enhance the precision of functional assessment methods and lead to more effective and durable behavioral interventions. |
| |
| Further Research on the Assessment and Treatment of Automatically Reinforced Aggression |
| MARY BERKELEY BROWN (Evoke Behavioral Health), Patrick Romani (University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus), Natalie Castellucio (Evoke Behavioral Health), Mary Howell (Evoke Behavioral Health) |
| Abstract: Very little research has been conducted on the identification and treatment of automatically maintained aggressive behavior. In the current study, we worked with a 17-year-old autistic young woman who engaged in aggression (e.g., pinching, scratching). We conducted this multi-experiment study in the classroom of a specialized day treatment program for youth with severe problem behaviors. During Experiment 1, we conducted a traditional functional analysis of aggression. Results showed high rates of aggression across all test and control conditions, including an ignore condition. In Experiment 2, we evaluated the effect of sensory extinction on responding to confirm the results of Experiment 1 that aggression was automatically reinforced. In Experiment 3, we clarified the specific source of automatic reinforcement by permitting brief, visual access to a scratch or red mark on the therapist’s arm contingent on aggression. We successfully reduced automatically reinforced aggression in Experiment 4 by implementing a functional communication training routine in which the participant manded for access to a picture of a zombie with scratches/injury on its body. We will discuss these results in terms of strategies to clarify inconclusive functional analyses of aggression and methods to treat automatically reinforced aggression. |
|
| |