The Performance-based IISCA Can Inform Effective and Socially Meaningful Skill-based Treatment

Jessel et al. (Behavior Analysis in Practice, 17, 727-745, 2024) demonstrated that results from the performance-based, interview-informed synthesized contingency analysis (IISCA) had strong correspondence when compared to typical IISCA procedures and produced positive outcomes with resultant functional communication training procedures. On the basis of the assumption that functional analyses may include potentially adverse events insofar as they deliberately and repeatedly arrange conditions suspected to evoke dangerous behavior, Jessel and colleagues argued in favor of aligning functional analysis procedures with guidelines of trauma-informed care. We replicated and extended Jessel et al. (Behavior Analysis in Practice, 17, 727-745, 2024) by conducting a performance-based IISCA with three children with autism referred for behavioral services due to dangerous behavior and by evaluating a comprehensive skill-based treatment informed by the performance-based IISCA. The skill-based treatment resulted in the eventual elimination of dangerous behavior and the acquisition of multiple important skills, with caregivers implementing treatment sessions for two of the three participants. Assessment and intervention procedures and outcomes were socially validated by all participating families.