Assessment & Research
Functional analysis and treatment of elopement.
★ The Verdict
When your functional analysis of elopement is flat, add quick reinforcer probes to find the true payoff, then build a single-function treatment.
✓ Read this if BCBAs who assess elopement in clinic or school settings.
✗ Skip if Practitioners who only treat vocal stereotypy or self-injury.
01Research in Context
01
What this study did
If your FA graph looks like a flat line, do not guess. Run short reinforcer assessments the same day. Pick the strongest one, teach a simple communication response, and reinforce it heavily. You will save hours of guesswork and keep kids safe.
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After a flat FA session, test one-minute access to toys versus one-minute break from work—then run FCT for the stronger option.
02At a glance
Intervention
functional analysis
Design
single case other
Sample size
3
Population
developmental delay
Finding
positive
03Original abstract
Elopement is a dangerous behavior because children who run away may encounter life-threatening situations (e.g., traffic). We conducted functional analyses of the elopement of 3 children who had been diagnosed with developmental disabilities. The results identified a maintaining reinforcer for the elopement of 1 child, but the data were difficult to interpret for 2 of the children. Subsequent reinforcer assessments were used to help to clarify the reinforcers for elopement for these 2 children. Results of the functional analyses and reinforcer assessments then were used to develop successful treatments to reduce elopement. The findings are discussed in terms of (a) the application of functional analysis methodology to elopement, (b) the use of reinforcer assessments to identify potential reinforcers when standard functional analyses are undifferentiated, and (c) the utility of assessment-based treatments for elopement.
Journal of applied behavior analysis, 1997 · doi:10.1901/jaba.1997.30-653