ERIC Number: EJ1460050
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jan
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-8855
EISSN: EISSN-1938-3703
Available Date: N/A
Validating Social Reinforcer Classes for Low-Severity Challenging Behavior Identified by Sensitivity Tests
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, v58 n1 p182-197 2025
Behavior analysts typically assess and treat challenging behavior after it occurs regularly and at high severity. Although effective, this reactive approach is quite costly and resource intensive. A growing literature supports an alternative preventive approach; the first step involves conducting sensitivity tests to screen the topographies and functions of low-severity behavior evoked by establishing operations commonly included in challenging behavior research (e.g., Fahmie et al., 2020). Despite the potential value of sensitivity tests, their correspondence with functional analyses has yet to be established. This study measured the correspondence between social reinforcer classes nominated by sensitivity tests and social reinforcer classes verified by traditional functional analysis outcomes of the same behaviors. Participants included 10 young autistic learners who were reported to exhibit low-severity challenging behavior. Data showed generally high correspondence between both assessment outcomes for challenging behavior but not for appropriate requests.
Descriptors: Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior Problems, Prevention, Screening Tests, Severity (of Disability), Identification, Reinforcement, Autism Spectrum Disorders
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A