Reducing severe aggressive and self-injurious behaviors with functional communication training.

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Developmental Psychology
• Applied Behavior Analysis

Background:

• Maladaptive behaviors, such as aggression and self-injury, present significant challenges in individuals with mental retardation.
• Previous interventions, including non-aversive and aversive methods, have often yielded limited success in managing severe behaviors.
• Functional communication training (FCT) offers a systematic approach to understanding and modifying these behaviors.

Observation:

• Two adult men with mental retardation exhibited severe aggressive and self-injurious behaviors.
• These behaviors persisted despite years of prior unsuccessful interventions.
• The study focused on assessing the communicative functions underlying these maladaptive behaviors.

Findings:

• Functional communication training significantly reduced severe aggressive and self-injurious behaviors in both participants.
• The positive effects of FCT generalized across different staff, novel environments, and increasing task demands.
• This intervention demonstrated effectiveness after the failure of traditional methods.

Implications:

• Functional communication training serves as a refined alternative to traditional differential reinforcement of other behavior.
• FCT provides a viable non-aversive strategy, reducing the reliance on aversive interventions for severe behavioral issues.
• The findings support the broader application of FCT in clinical and educational settings for individuals with developmental disabilities.