Instruction in Functional Assessment, 2014a
Instruction in Functional Assessment, 2014a
Instruction in Functional Assessment, 2014a
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Chapter 3<br />
Treatment Implications<br />
Based on the <strong>Functional</strong><br />
<strong>Assessment</strong><br />
Focus Questions:<br />
<br />
<br />
What treatment approaches challeng<strong>in</strong>g behaviors and <strong>in</strong>crease appropriate<br />
behaviors?<br />
Expla<strong>in</strong> how knowledge of the function of problem behaviors can impact treatment<br />
decisions.<br />
Treatment choices to decrease an <strong>in</strong>dividual’s challeng<strong>in</strong>g behavior are based on many<br />
factors, such as the function of behavior, empirically-based practices, ethical considerations,<br />
likelihood of the desired behavior be<strong>in</strong>g supported long-term by others <strong>in</strong> the natural<br />
environment, and the particulars for the case <strong>in</strong> question (e.g., context, quality of the environment,<br />
severity of the problem behavior, people present, resources available, sett<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
level of function<strong>in</strong>g, communication skills, etc.) (Spencer, Detrich, & Slocum, 2012). The<br />
severity and persistence of the <strong>in</strong>dividual’s challeng<strong>in</strong>g behavior may <strong>in</strong>fluence treatment<br />
decisions <strong>in</strong> terms of number of components <strong>in</strong> a treatment program, re<strong>in</strong>forcer magnitude<br />
or frequency, and staff/teacher tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g.<br />
A primary factor considered <strong>in</strong> the design of effective treatments is the function of the<br />
challeng<strong>in</strong>g behavior (Kurtz et al., 2003; Repp, Felce, & Barton, 1988; Lancioni, S<strong>in</strong>gh,<br />
O’Reilly, Sigafoos, & Didden, 2012; Matson, Neal, & Kozlowski, 2012; Mueller, Kosi, &<br />
H<strong>in</strong>e, 2011). Treatments based on the function of behavior, as analyzed from FA data, are<br />
more effective than non-function-based approaches to decrease <strong>in</strong>dividual’s challeng<strong>in</strong>g<br />
behavior (Carr & Durand, 1985). Incorrect selection of a treatment or design of a program<br />
based on an un<strong>in</strong>formed or faulty function of behavior may not help the <strong>in</strong>dividual learn<br />
new desired behaviors and/or may even make the problem worse, <strong>in</strong> some cases (Iwata,<br />
Pace, Cowdery, & Miltenberger, 1994). Thus, an ethical responsibility exists for the professional<br />
to make an <strong>in</strong>formed decision based on all available assessment and background<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation, and a review of empirically-based <strong>in</strong>tervention strategies.