Description of a Practitioner Training Program on Functional Analysis and Treatment Development

Abstract

The current project examined the effectiveness of a functional analysis skills training package for practitioners with advanced degrees working within an applied setting. Skills included appropriately carrying out the functional analysis conditions as outlined by Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, and Richman (1982/1994), interpreting multielement functional analysis graphs using the methodology described by Hagopian et al. (1997), determining next steps when functional analysis data are undifferentiated, and selecting function-based interventions once functional analysis data are conclusive. The performance of three participants was examined within a multiple baseline design across participants. Although performance varied, baseline skill level was insufficient prior to intervention across participants and skill areas. Mastery was attained for all participants within four to eight training sessions per skill and the acquired skills were demonstrated effectively during generalization trials. Minimal retraining was required for some component skills at a 3-month follow up. Keywords: functional analysis, staff training, treatment development, visual inspection ABSTRACT T

Effects of computer‐based training on procedural modifications to standard functional analyses

“…The results showed that performance improved from baseline and maintained for 19 of 20 participants following experience with the computer‐based training. This study extends the work of Chok et al () by demonstrating the efficacy of a stand‐alone, computer‐based tutorial that was administered from start to finish within a 1‐day period to a large number of trainees concurrently without the presence of a staff trainer. These findings also replicate the research on training participants to identify relevant antecedent and consequences in conditions of a standard functional analysis (e.g., Iwata et al, ; Lambert, Bloom, Kunnavatana, Collins, & Clay, ; Moore et al, ; Phillips & Mudford, ; Wallace et al, ) and shows computer‐based training as an option for training participant skills.…”

“…Module 4 provided an overview of the decision making protocol (see Supporting Information). This module guided participants on whether to refer the client to treatment and what, if any, functional analysis variation should be implemented following undifferentiated data paths (Chok et al, ; Vollmer et al, ). For example, if the maintaining variables of the target behavior could not be identified when presented with a brief functional analysis graph (Northup et al, ), the module suggested transitioning to a multielement functional analysis (Iwata et al, /94).…”

“…The purpose of this study was to replicate and extend the findings of Chok et al (2012) by evaluating the effectiveness of a brief, 1-day computer-based training package for graduate students on acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of the following skills: determining relevant antecedents and consequences in functional analysis conditions, identifying behavioral function via visual inspection of graphs, and choosing different experimental designs to obtain clear results in a functional analysis. Social validity of the training program was evaluated by the participants following the study.…”

“…To our knowledge, only one study has used computer‐based training to teach interpretation of functional analysis data. Chok, Shlesinger, Studer, and Bird () trained Board Certified Behavior Analysts to conduct a functional analysis, interpret the results, make variations as needed in response to undifferentiated data, and create a function‐based treatment option. Participants were trained using a combination of instructions, rehearsal, and performance feedback.…”

Treatment of Aggression in an Adult With Intellectual Disability and Physical Impairment Through Function-Based Ambulatory Support

“…Steve had a long history of engaging in aggression during transitions but limited assessment had been performed to identify the evocative and maintaining influences. A functional analysis such as the one conducted in this study is well suited to the demands of most applied settings, can quickly reveal differential responding between test-control conditions, and represents a methodology that can be taught to and implemented by care-providers (Chok, Shlesinger, Studer, & Bird, 2012). Of course, these analyses can reveal more than one hypothesized function.…”