Randomized controlled trial of seminar‐based training on accurate and general implementation of practical functional assessments

Abstract

General and long-term outcomes of functional analysis training have not yet been reported. Within a randomized control trial, we trained 18 behavior analytic practitioners to interview caregivers, design and then conduct a personalized analysis as a part of a practical functional assessment (PFA). Participants were randomly assigned to groups, and those who experienced the seminar prior to conducting PFA with a confederate demonstrated more component skills than those who were provided the same materials but did not experience the seminar (mean scores: 87%, 36% respectively). Participants who experienced the seminar considered the training valuable and reported greater confidence in their ability to achieve control in an analysis. Several participants then conducted a PFA with a client who engaged in SPB. Results showed that skills transferred to these authentic applications. Results suggest that a seminar-based training can increase practitioners' ability to functionally analyze problem behavior and leads to subsequent analytic activity.

Teaching the Interview-Informed Synthesized Contingency Analysis (IISCA) Through Asynchronous Online Training for Professionals Working with Autistic Individuals

“…We need to assume that training people to use functional analysis procedures that will possibly evoke dangerous, challenging behavior in an analysis that could take 185 min is unsafe. Another possibility is training IISCA patients using the BST, resulting in accurate results in learning applications and functional analysis(Whelan et al, 2021).…”