ABSTRACT

Function-based intervention is an established, evidence-based treatment to address severe problem behaviors. However, ethical and safety concerns arise in relation to identifying the function of the problem behavior. This study examined the effectiveness of the precursor-based functional communication training (FCT) with schedule thinning to decrease severe self-injurious behavior (SIB) in a 15-year-old boy with developmental disabilities. A sequential analysis using Yule’s Q was conducted to quantify the sequential association between the precursor and the SIB, followed by a functional analysis (FA) to identify the function of the precursor. Based on the results of the FA, FCT and reinforcement schedule thinning were implemented for the precursor. The outcomes suggest that precursor-based treatment with enhanced feasibility and practicability would be a viable treatment approach for severe SIB.

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