Functional analysis screening for inappropriate mealtime behavior
A 10-minute screening FA correctly pinned escape as the driver of food refusal in three autistic children, giving clinicians a fast first step.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Saini et al. (2024) tested a 10-minute screening functional analysis on three autistic children who refused food.
The team ran the short screening FA first, then ran the usual long FA to see if the quick version gave the same answer.
Sessions happened at a table with the child, a therapist, and small bites of non-preferred food.
What they found
The 10-minute screening FA pointed to escape as the reinforcer for every child.
The full FA later showed the same escape function, so the brief screen was correct.
Within-session data lines matched across both versions, giving extra confidence.
How this fits with other research
Saini et al. (2019) pooled 86 feeding FAs and found escape in 92% of cases. The new 10-minute screen lines up with that big picture.
Gerow et al. (2021) had parents run brief FAs at home via telehealth; only 4 of 7 gave clear answers. The 2024 lab study shows that when you control the setting, a 10-minute FA can be crystal-clear for feeding issues.
Kirkwood et al. (2021) treated multiply controlled food refusal after a full FA. The screening FA could speed things up by flagging escape first, letting you start treatment sooner.
Why it matters
You now have a 10-minute tool that reliably spots escape-maintained food refusal. Use it when time, staff, or insurance limits a full FA. If escape shows up, move straight to escape extinction plus differential reinforcement of bite acceptance.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
AbstractInappropriate mealtime behavior (IMB) is a class of food refusal behavior that is commonly observed in children with neurodevelopmental disorders or avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. An abundance of research has demonstrated that IMB is commonly maintained by negative reinforcement in the form of escape from food or drink presentation. Given the common association between IMB and escape as a reinforcer, more efficient methods of conducting functional analyses have been called for. The present study examined the extent to which indirect assessments and a functional analysis screening process reliably predicted an escape function in three children with autism spectrum disorder who engaged in IMB. The results of the two assessments were then compared to a standard functional analysis. For all participants, the functional analysis identified an escape function, which corresponded with both the indirect assessment and screening. Additionally, within‐session analyses of screening sessions further validated the screening process. The functional analysis screening of IMB is discussed in terms of its efficiency, practicality, and experimental design. The results of this study offer a framework for efficiently assessing the function of IMB, while providing recommendations for future research.
Behavioral Interventions, 2024 · doi:10.1002/bin.1999