Functional analysis and intervention for perseverative verbal behaviour of an older adult with traumatic brain injury

A functional analysis of behaviour was conducted to determine the controlling variables related to the perseverative verbal behaviour (PBV) of a 60-year-old female with a long-standing traumatic brain injury receiving educational assistance.

Functional analyses (FA) of antecedent and consequent conditions related to PCB were conducted to determine controlling influence of: (a) content of verbal interaction and, (b) social reinforcement. After isolating the controlling variables, the functioned-based intervention was implemented in 60 minute tutoring sessions. A reversal condition was used to demonstrate experimental control of the behavior during tutoring sessions.

PVB which occurred in the context of tutoring for an undergraduate course significantly interfered with the delivery of instruction. Multiple replications of the functional relation between social reinforcement and PVB duration was demonstrated using an A-B-A-B reversal design during functional analysis and tutoring conditions. PVB markedly declined, but did not extinguish over the course of weekly tutoring (extinction) sessions, most likely due to 'bootleg reinforcement' occurring in other situations.

Results indicate that perseverative verbal behaviour following closed head injury may be strongly influenced by the social contingencies operating in various contexts and is amenable to applied behaviour analysis interventions.