Does teaching an omnibus mand preclude the development of specifying mands?

Abstract

When problem behavior is controlled by a synthesized reinforcement contingency, a simple omnibus mand that yields access to all reinforcers simultaneously has been shown to effectively replace problem behavior. The question arises as to whether teaching an omnibus mand will preclude the acquisition of specifying mands for each of the combined reinforcers. In this study, after 3 students diagnosed with autism acquired an omnibus mand (“My way, please”) that yielded all identified reinforcers simultaneously, specifying mands (e.g., “All done,” “May I have my toys?” “Play with me”) were taught to yield each individual reinforcer (e.g., escape, tangibles, attention). Problem behavior was immediately eliminated for all children, and the omnibus mand was acquired quickly. Teaching an omnibus mand did not preclude acquisition of specifying mands for any learner and instead allowed for the acquisition of specifying mands once problem behavior had been effectively reduced.

Functional analysis of problem behavior: A 40‐year review

“…In comparison, only 26.1% of all topographies except aberrant showed multiple control. From our perspective, best practice in this domain is dependent on more research on (a) the prevalence of shared response class membership among distinct topographies reported in an interview (see Warner et al, 2020), (b) the reliability of topographical reports from caregivers in interviews (see Fritz et al, 2013), and (c) the efficiency and integrity of treatment using synthesized vs. isolated reinforcers for distinct topographies maintained by distinct sources of reinforcement (see Boyle et al, 2019; Mitteer et al, 2019; Ward et al, 2021, for related analyses of multiply controlled topographies). It is possible that a relatively low prevalence of distinct topographies maintained by distinct reinforcers (as evidenced by the relative paucity of research in this area) need not be detected in separate functional analyses if treatment is similarly effective under synthesized conditions.…”

Incorporating noncontingent reinforcement into functional communication training.

“…In addition, we were only able to fade in one FCR opportunity into our sessions. Future researchers may extend these procedures to incorporate more FCT trials and perhaps investigate procedures to teach toleration of relinquishing items (e.g., having the participant exchange the preferred item in his hand with an identical item being delivered by the therapist) in an effort to systematically and gradually progress the EO (e.g., Ward et al, 2021). Finally, researchers may investigate arbitrary NCR as it relates to the current procedures (e.g., providing continuous access to stimuli other than those that maintain problem behavior).…”

Evaluating functional communication training without extinction in public school settings

“…Second, researchers should develop and test tailored adaptations to FCT with concurrent schedules informed by such sensitivities and skill repertoires. Third, researchers should investigate optimal approaches to programming FCRs for multiply maintained problem behavior, such as teaching multiple specific FCRs versus progressing from generalized to specific FCRs (e.g., Ward et al., 2021). Finally, researchers should further evaluate effective schedule thinning approaches for FCT with concurrent schedules, such as chained schedules of reinforcement (Torelli & Pickren, 2023) to be able to transfer treatments to natural implementers and contexts.…”