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. 1992 Winter;25(4):809–821. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1992.25-809

Use of descriptive and experimental analyses to identify the functional properties of aberrant behavior in school settings.

G M Sasso 1, T M Reimers 1, L J Cooper 1, D Wacker 1, W Berg 1, M Steege 1, L Kelly 1, A Allaire 1
PMCID: PMC1279766  PMID: 1478904

Abstract

We conducted descriptive and experimental analyses of aberrant behavior in school settings with 2 children with autism, using teachers as assessors. Experimental functional analyses carried out by the investigators were followed by training teachers to conduct a descriptive analysis and a classroom experimental analysis. A comparison of the assessment procedures showed that each procedure identified negative reinforcement as a maintaining variable for aberrant behavior. The teacher implemented an intervention based on the assessment with mixed results. We then replicated the initial results by having the first teacher train a second teacher to carry out the two assessment procedures. The results of these analyses were also in agreement, again identifying negative reinforcement as a variable maintaining aberrant behavior. An intervention based on negative reinforcement was then successfully implemented. These results suggest the applicability and utility of functional analyses carried out in school settings.

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Selected References

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