Teaching trainees to implement functional communication training with multiple schedules: An evaluation of training...

Area of Science:

• Behavioral psychology
• Applied behavior analysis

Background:

• Functional communication training (FCT) is crucial for managing challenging behaviors.
• Existing training methods for FCT facilitators require empirical support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of behavioral skills training (BST) for improving facilitator implementation of FCT with multiple schedules.
• To assess the durability of BST effects under challenging conditions.

Main Methods:

• Six participants received BST to implement FCT with a confederate.
• Durability was tested against procedural changes, novel confederates, and confederate behavior relapse.
• Degradation was addressed through continued exposure or booster training.

Main Results:

• BST led to mastery-level FCT implementation for all trained participants.
• Training effects degraded in 62% of challenges, affecting all participants at least once.
• Booster training or continued exposure resolved degradation in most instances.

Conclusions:

• BST is the first empirically supported training for this FCT approach.
• While durable, FCT implementation requires strategies to address challenges.
• Findings support BST's clinical utility and suggest future research directions.