Functional and structural analyses of behavior: approaches leading to reduced use of punishment procedures?
Run a quick functional test before you even think about punishment.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The author wrote a position paper in 1987.
He argued that functional and structural assessment can guide us to treatments that work without punishment.
The paper mixed ideas and past cases rather than new data.
What they found
The paper found hope, not hard numbers.
It said if we test for attention, escape, or sensory payoffs, we can pick safer interventions.
The writer warned that proof was still thin and more study was needed.
How this fits with other research
Steege et al. (1989) soon showed the idea works. Their micro-switch ended severe self-injury without punishment.
Aman et al. (1993) looked back at 12 years of work. Teams were doing more assessments, yet still used intrusive tactics for aggression. The gap between knowing and doing stayed wide.
Melanson et al. (2023) scanned 1,333 later functional analyses. Labs now run shorter sessions, add tangible tests, and see more autistic clients. The 1987 call helped start that wave.
Colombo et al. (2024) reappraised Sidman’s fear of punishment fallout. They say side-effects are not as common as once thought, so total avoidance may be too cautious.
Why it matters
You still meet staff who reach for restraint or response-cost first. Hand them this 1987 reminder: a five-minute functional check can point to reinforcement, task change, or communication training instead. Start there and you may never need the aversive.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Open your next case by interviewing for attention, escape, and tangible patterns, then run a 10-minute functional analysis before writing any punishment procedure.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
A common approach to dealing with the serious misbehaviors of handicapped individuals is to use punishment procedures. Although punishment techniques are often effective, many claim that their use is restrictive. Emerging approaches for dealing with inappropriate behavior are to conduct a functional or structural analysis of behavior. These approaches allow practitioners to isolate and manipulate the factors responsible for aberrant behaviors. Such analyses may reveal that a maladaptive behavior results in adult attention, is associated with demand situations, or provides reinforcing sensory feedback. In each case corrective procedures relevant to the function of the inappropriate behavior or its associated stimuli, can be applied. In some cases the analysis will reveal alternative approaches to the use of punishment procedures. In other cases it may not. Presently, there have been relatively few examples of the functional and structural analysis approaches; results thus far, however, have been encouraging.
Research in developmental disabilities, 1987 · doi:10.1016/0891-4222(87)90001-1