The effects of methylphenidate on a functional analysis of disruptive behavior: a replication and extension.

The team ran a classic reversal ABAB functional analysis on one child with ADHD and intellectual disability.

They tested the same conditions twice: once while the child took methylphenidate and once while he did not.

The goal was to see if the drug changed what kept the boy’s disruptive behavior going.

Off medication, the child’s problem behavior was clearly attention-maintained.

On methylphenidate, the same behavior almost disappeared during the attention condition.

The drug did not just lower overall behavior; it removed attention as a reinforcer.

Spriggs et al. (2016) later reviewed 37 FA cases and found the same pattern four times: medication flipped the function.

Aman et al. (1993) had already shown methylphenidate improves attention in kids with ID and ADHD, but they never tested function.

ZIMMERMAELLIOTT et al. (1962) saw cats stop drinking milk on the drug, hinting that methylphenidate can wipe out reinforcer value altogether.

If a child starts, stops, or changes dose, rerun your FA. The reinforcer that once drove problem behavior may no longer work. A quick re-check keeps your treatment plan honest and saves weeks of ineffective intervention.