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| A Further Examination of Functional Analysis Methodologies |
| Monday, May 31, 2010 |
| 2:00 PM–3:20 PM |
| Lone Star Ballroom Salon C (Grand Hyatt) |
| Area: EAB/DDA; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Chair: Tonya Nichole Davis (Baylor University) |
| Discussant: Christina L. Fragale (Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk) |
| CE Instructor: Jessica Everett, Ph.D. |
| Abstract: Purpose: In this symposium we will present recent research regarding use of functional analyses when working with persons with developmental disabilities. The first paper examines the appropriateness of utilizing a functional analysis in a school setting. School administrators are often apprehensive about allowing an assessment which specifically elicits high rates of challenging behavior; therefore, this paper examines the effects of conducting a functional analysis in a school setting on subsequent challenging behavior in the classroom. The second paper investigates the difference between the results of a brief functional analysis consisting of 5-minute sessions and a functional analysis consisting of 10-minute sessions. Implications for application in clinical practice are presented. The third paper evaluates the use of a modified, latency functional analysis to identify the function of elopement. Results identify the value of this modified assessment for assessment of elopement, a challenging behavior which is characteristically difficult to assess with traditional functional analysis methodologies. |
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| The Effects of a Functional Analysis on Subsequent Classroom Behavior |
| LISA FUENTES (University of North Texas), Tonya Nichole Davis (Baylor University), Shannon Durand (University of North Texas) |
| Abstract: Although a functional analysis is an essential component to a functional behavior assessment, school administrators are often apprehensive about allowing an assessment which specifically elicits, and potentially reinforces, high rates of challenging behavior. This apprehension is likely due to concern that participation in a functional analysis will results in increased challenging behavior in the classroom prior to the implementation of an intervention. In this study, we examined the effects of participation in a functional analysis on classroom challenging behavior, across multiple participants with developmental disabilities. Data was collected for weeks prior to the implementation of functional analyses, during classroom sessions immediate after participation in a functional analysis, and for weeks after completed participation in a functional analysis. The results are discussed in terms of the practicality and rationality of perceived disadvantages of utilizing a functional analysis in a school setting. |
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| A Comparison of Brief Versus Traditional Functional Analyses |
| SHANNON DURAND (University of North Texas), Tonya Nichole Davis (Baylor University), Lisa Fuentes (University of North Texas) |
| Abstract: Several variations in functional analysis methodology exist, with one common variation being the duration of sessions. While traditional functional analysis sessions are 15-minutes in duration, brief analysis utilizing 5-minute sessions also have documented success at identifying potential reinforcers of challenging behavior. The purpose of this study was to compare the results of 5- and 10-minute session functional analyses. In the first phase of the study we implemented a 5-minute session functional analysis with two participants diagnosed with developmental disabilities. The functional analysis of phase one resulted in very few displays of challenging behavior for the first participant and yielded undifferentiated results for second participant; thereby resulting in no firm conclusion regarding function of behavior for both participants. In phase two we implemented a second functional analysis utilizing 10-minute sessions. The results of the second analysis yielded clear results for both participants. The results are compared to other studies and implications of this study will be discussed in terms of the selection of functional analysis methodologies in clinical settings. |
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| Functional Analysis of Elopement: A Comparison of Traditional and Latency Functional Analyses |
| TONYA NICHOLE DAVIS (Baylor University), Wendy A. Machalicek (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Lisa Fuentes (University of North Texas), Shannon Durand (University of North Texas), Sarah Sifford (Baylor University), Jessica Semons (Baylor University) |
| Abstract: We compared results of traditional functional analyses of elopement to the results of latency functional analyses for two children with autism. First, traditional functional analyses of elopement without participant retrieval following elopement were conducted for each participant using percentage of intervals as the dependent measure. Then, latency functional analyses of elopement were conducted for each participant using latency to elopement as the dependent measure. Compared results of both traditional and latency functional analyses indicated that each participant’s elopement was multiply maintained by access to attention and escape from demands. Findings suggest that the use of latency as the dependent measure of challenging behavior in functional analyses may yield similar results to traditional measures (e.g., percentage of intervals) of challenging behavior in functional analyses and may provide clinicians with an additional methodology to determine the operant function of elopement. The results will be compared to other studies and implications for clinical application will be discussed. |
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