Instruction in Functional Assessment, 2014a
Instruction in Functional Assessment, 2014a
Instruction in Functional Assessment, 2014a
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<strong>Instruction</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Functional</strong> <strong>Assessment</strong> Chapter 6<br />
The Case of the Cough!<br />
From Watson, T. S., & Sterl<strong>in</strong>g, H. E. (1998). Brief functional analysis and treatment of a<br />
vocal tic. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 31, 471-474.<br />
Client Description & Background: Vivian, a 4-year-old typically develop<strong>in</strong>g girl who<br />
presented with a 4 month occurrence of a vocal tic <strong>in</strong> the form of repeated cough<strong>in</strong>g. Just<br />
before orig<strong>in</strong>ally exhibit<strong>in</strong>g the cough, she had a respiratory <strong>in</strong>fection that had s<strong>in</strong>ce cleared<br />
up. She had been seen by her pediatrician who did not f<strong>in</strong>d a medical cause for her behavior.<br />
Vivian’s parents stated that her cough “was ‘annoy<strong>in</strong>g’ and ‘<strong>in</strong>trusive’ <strong>in</strong> their conversations”<br />
(Watson & Sterl<strong>in</strong>g, 1998, p.471). Her cough<strong>in</strong>g generally only occurred dur<strong>in</strong>g meals.<br />
Behavioral def<strong>in</strong>ition: “loud bark<strong>in</strong>g or metallic sound com<strong>in</strong>g from the mouth”<br />
(Watson & Sterl<strong>in</strong>g, 1998, p. 471).<br />
Parent Interview Questions:<br />
When does the behavior occur?<br />
What are your reactions to the cough<strong>in</strong>g behavior?<br />
What other times or places that the cough occurs?<br />
Does it occur when you are out? Is it only certa<strong>in</strong> foods?<br />
Does it occur with one parent or both?<br />
When she doesn’t want to eat?<br />
Do certa<strong>in</strong> th<strong>in</strong>gs occur dur<strong>in</strong>g the day associated with its occurrence or nonoccurrence<br />
(e.g., school, longer day, daycare, visits)?<br />
Parent Interview and functional assessment observational data collected by parents on<br />
ABCs dur<strong>in</strong>g meals, snacks, watch<strong>in</strong>g TV <strong>in</strong> bed, at draw<strong>in</strong>g table, suggested that either<br />
attention or tangibles (food items) was be<strong>in</strong>g delivered immediately after Vivian’s cough<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g mealtimes.<br />
Procedure: <strong>Functional</strong> analysis was conducted us<strong>in</strong>g a multielement research design<br />
with both 5-m<strong>in</strong> conditions occurr<strong>in</strong>g each meal.<br />
Attention condition: “...one parent made brief comments with<strong>in</strong> 2-5 s after Vivian<br />
coughed” (Watson & Sterl<strong>in</strong>g, 1998, p. 472).<br />
Tangible condition: “...one of the parents immediately presented Vivian with one small<br />
Sweet Tart candy (a preferred item, accord<strong>in</strong>g to the parents) but made no comment cont<strong>in</strong>gent<br />
upon cough<strong>in</strong>g...“ (Watson & Sterl<strong>in</strong>g, 1998, p. 472).<br />
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