Clarifying inconclusive functional analysis results: Assessment and treatment of automatically reinforced aggression

2016

Wayne Fisher
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402-559-8863

We conducted a series of studies in which multiple strategies were used to clarify the inconclusive results of one boys functional analysis of aggression. Specifically, we (a) evaluated individual response topographies to determine the composition of aggregated response rates, (b) conducted a separate functional analysis of aggression after high rates of disruption masked the consequences maintaining aggression during the initial functional analysis, (c) modified the experimental design used during the functional analysis of aggression to improve discrimination and decrease interaction effects between conditions, and (d) evaluated a treatment matched to the reinforcer hypothesized to maintain aggression. An effective yet practical intervention for aggression was developed based on the results of these analyses and from data collected during the matched-treatment evaluation.

aggression, automatic reinforcement,, competing stimuli,

Peer-reviewed publications in scholarly journals Published/In Press

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