Advisor(s)

Eileen M. Roscoe

Contributor(s)

Jason C. Bourret, William H. Ahearn

Date of Award

2009

Date Accepted

12-2008

Degree Grantor

Northeastern University

Degree Level

M.S.

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department or Academic Unit

Bouvé College of Health Sciences. Department of Counseling and Applied Educational Psychology.

Keywords

Functional analysis, Salient stimuli, Applied behavior analysis

Subject Categories

Problem children - Functional assessment, Children with disabilities

Disciplines

Mental Disorders | Psychological Phenomena and Processes

Abstract

Previous research has shown that including salient stimuli (e.g., different colored rooms or different therapists associated with each condition) may enhance differential outcomes during a functional analysis (FA). However, clinicians may have limited resources for use on arranging discriminative stimuli when conducting an FA. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of using practical stimuli, (e.g., different colored shirts, poster boards, and photos of the participant contacting antecedent environmental events associated with FA conditions) on FA outcomes. In addition, because the inclusion of salient stimuli may be most helpful when conducting brief or nonstandard FAs, we evaluated the effects of using such stimuli during brief or latency-based FAs. Five individuals with autism, who exhibited severe problem behavior, participated. A multielement design was used to demonstrate experimental control. Blocks of 4 conditions (alone, attention, play, and demand) paired with discriminated stimuli were alternated with blocks of the same conditions not paired with these stimuli. Results indicated that the inclusion of salient stimuli may serve as a practical enhancement when conducting brief functional analyses. Interobserver agreement was conducted for over 30% of sessions and averaged over 90%.

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Rights Holder

Kelly L. McConnell


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