Understanding the effects of prompting immediately after problem behavior occurs during functional communication training
Prompting right after problem behavior helps some kids but hurts others—test both immediate and delayed prompts during FCT setup.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Landa et al. (2022) asked: should you prompt the FCR right after problem behavior, or wait? They ran a single-case test with four children. Each child got two FCT phases: immediate prompt and delayed prompt, in a reversal design.
What they found
Two kids did fine with immediate prompts; problem behavior stayed low. One child needed a short delay to keep gains. For the fourth, immediate prompts made problem behavior worse. Timing had to match the child.
How this fits with other research
Fisher et al. (2018) showed that short exposure to the establishing operation prevents extinction bursts. Landa’s results line up: delaying the prompt keeps the EO brief and avoids bursts.
Weber et al. (2024) found FCT works best when the behavior has a single function. Landa adds another layer: even with a clear function, prompt timing still needs individual tuning.
Ghaemmaghami et al. (2021) warned that lab FCT may not hold in real life. Landa’s mixed outcomes support that call: one size does not fit all, even in controlled settings.
Why it matters
Before you run FCT, probe two prompt timings. Start with immediate; if problem behavior spikes, insert a 5-10 s delay. Record which timing keeps the FCR strong and problem behavior low. Add this quick probe to your FCT prep checklist.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
When reported, the methods for prompting functional communication responses (FCRs) following problem behavior during functional communication training (FCT) vary. Some researchers have prompted the FCR immediately following problem behavior but doing so may inadvertently strengthen problem behavior as the first link in an undesirable response chain. This study investigated the effects of prompting FCRs following problem behavior during FCT with 4 children who exhibited severe problem behavior. Problem behavior remained low and FCR rates were near optimal when prompts were delivered immediately following problem behavior for 2 participants. Delaying prompts following problem behavior was instrumental for FCR acquisition for 1 participant but led to escalation of problem behavior for a 2nd participant. The conditions under which immediate prompts following problem behavior may improve or worsen FCT are discussed.
Journal of applied behavior analysis, 2022 · doi:10.1002/jaba.889