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Instruction in Functional Assessment, 2014a

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<strong>Instruction</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Functional</strong> <strong>Assessment</strong> Chapter 6<br />

Attention Condition<br />

These are the standard experimental functional analysis conditions as described by<br />

Iwata, et al., 1994/1982, JABA, 27, 197-209 and Iwata et al., 2000.<br />

Description & Rationale:<br />

The purpose of this condition is to determ<strong>in</strong>e if the <strong>in</strong>dividual’s problem behavior is<br />

due to attention positive re<strong>in</strong>forcement. Under conditions of social deprivation and <strong>in</strong> the<br />

presence of one or two adults, eye contact, physical contact, reprimands, or verbal <strong>in</strong>teraction<br />

may be contribut<strong>in</strong>g to the <strong>in</strong>dividual’s problem behavior. The therapist presents verbal<br />

statements, such as “No, don’t do that” or similar comments that typically are given by others<br />

<strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>dividual’s natural environment immediately after the <strong>in</strong>dividual’s problem behavior.<br />

Although it may seem counter-<strong>in</strong>tuitive, even tell<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>dividual not to do someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />

may <strong>in</strong>crease the likelihood that the behavior occurs or serves as a positive re<strong>in</strong>forcer! Note<br />

that this condition may be tailored to the specific stimuli found to correlate with the occurrence<br />

of the <strong>in</strong>dividual’s problem behavior based on descriptive and observational functional<br />

assessments. Attention positive re<strong>in</strong>forcement is when social re<strong>in</strong>forcers are delivered (e.g.,<br />

verbal, eye contact, gestures) immediately after the behavior and the behavior is more likely<br />

to occur <strong>in</strong> similar future situations (Mart<strong>in</strong> & Pear, 2011).<br />

If the <strong>in</strong>dividual’s problem behavior is worse under the attention condition compared<br />

to other conditions or the control conditions then this result suggests that attention positive<br />

re<strong>in</strong>forcement is ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g their behavior.<br />

Procedure:<br />

Set the timer and beg<strong>in</strong>. The therapist tells the client to play with toys and then ignores<br />

the child (i.e., no verbal <strong>in</strong>teraction, eye contact, nor any other consistent reaction to the<br />

child’s behavior). The therapist ignores the child’s appropriate behavior or <strong>in</strong>appropriate<br />

behavior that is not the target behavior. The therapist can be read<strong>in</strong>g a magaz<strong>in</strong>e or talk<strong>in</strong>g<br />

to another adult. If the child engages <strong>in</strong> the problem behavior, then the therapist provides<br />

attention (e.g., eye contact and “Please do not do that, you are go<strong>in</strong>g to hurt yourself ”) and<br />

physical contact (e.g., hand on shoulder) for 3 s. All occurrences of the client’s behavior are<br />

recorded by the therapist.<br />

Purpose<br />

Social positive<br />

re<strong>in</strong>forcement<br />

Summary Of Attention Condition<br />

2 adults talk<strong>in</strong>g/ R+ -> Ø<br />

Adult read<strong>in</strong>g magaz<strong>in</strong>e R- -> Attention<br />

Note: R+ = desirable behavior; R- = problem behavior; Ø = no response<br />

An example of what the client’s graphed levels of the problem behavior that is be<strong>in</strong>g<br />

ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed by attention positive re<strong>in</strong>forcement is as follows:<br />

87

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