This cluster shows how to run short tests that quickly tell us why a child is hitting, screaming, or biting. The studies give easy rules for picking the right reward or medicine change so problem behavior drops fast and stays low. A BCBA can use these quick checks to save time, avoid long guesses, and start helpful interventions sooner.
Common questions from BCBAs and RBTs
For many cases, yes. Trial-based functional analyses and sensitivity tests have been validated for lower-severity behaviors and produce function data that reliably guides treatment. Use a full FA for high-severity, complex, or unclear presentations.
Yes. Research on feeding interventions shows caregivers can reliably detect treatment effects at home using simple data collection, agreeing with trained observers in almost all cases when given clear operational definitions.
For externalizing behaviors, gains often fade after the active treatment phase ends. Build generalization and maintenance procedures into your plan from the start, not as an afterthought once you see behavior returning.
Try a brief blocking probe. If the client can perform the correct behavior when the problem behavior is physically blocked, the issue is motivation rather than skill. This test takes about five minutes and directly guides your intervention choice.
Yes. Research shows that even occasional errors in consequence delivery — especially reinforcing wrong responses after mastery — can lower accuracy back to pre-mastery levels. Maintain fidelity throughout treatment, not just during acquisition.