TY - JOUR
T1 - Does functional communication training compete With ongoing contingencies of reinforcement? An analysis during response acquisition and maintenance
AU - Shirley, Melissa J.
AU - Iwata, Brian A.
AU - Kahng, Sungwoo
AU - Mazaleski, Jodi L.
AU - Lerman, Dorothea C.
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - We examined the effectiveness of functional communication training (FCT) in reducing self-injurious behavior (SIB) and in shaping an alternative (communicative) response while SIB continued to be reinforced. Following a functional analysis of 3 individuals' SIB, we attempted to teach an alternative response consisting of a manual sign to each individual, using the reinforcer that maintained SIB. When FCT was implemented without extinction, SIB remained at baseline rates for all participants, and none of the participants acquired the alternative response. When extinction was added to the training procedure, SIB decreased and manual signing increased for all participants. To determine if signing, when established, would compete with SIB when both were reinforced, extinction was then withdrawn. Signing was maintained and SIB occurred at low rates for 2 individuals, but SIB returned to baseline rates for the 3rd individual, necessitating the reimplementation of extinction. These results suggest that it may be difficult to establish alternative behaviors if inappropriate behavior continues to be reinforced, but that, when established, alternative behavior might compete successfully with ongoing contingencies of reinforcement for inappropriate behavior.
AB - We examined the effectiveness of functional communication training (FCT) in reducing self-injurious behavior (SIB) and in shaping an alternative (communicative) response while SIB continued to be reinforced. Following a functional analysis of 3 individuals' SIB, we attempted to teach an alternative response consisting of a manual sign to each individual, using the reinforcer that maintained SIB. When FCT was implemented without extinction, SIB remained at baseline rates for all participants, and none of the participants acquired the alternative response. When extinction was added to the training procedure, SIB decreased and manual signing increased for all participants. To determine if signing, when established, would compete with SIB when both were reinforced, extinction was then withdrawn. Signing was maintained and SIB occurred at low rates for 2 individuals, but SIB returned to baseline rates for the 3rd individual, necessitating the reimplementation of extinction. These results suggest that it may be difficult to establish alternative behaviors if inappropriate behavior continues to be reinforced, but that, when established, alternative behavior might compete successfully with ongoing contingencies of reinforcement for inappropriate behavior.
KW - Extinction
KW - Functional analysis
KW - Functional communication training
KW - Self-injurious behavior
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031090083&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0031090083&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1901/jaba.1997.30-93
DO - 10.1901/jaba.1997.30-93
M3 - Article
C2 - 9157100
AN - SCOPUS:0031090083
VL - 30
SP - 93
EP - 104
JO - Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
JF - Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
SN - 0021-8855
IS - 1
ER -