Toward Maximizing Assessment Efficiency: A Synthesized Trial-Based Functional Analysis and Competing Stimulus Assessment
A 42-minute synthesized trial-based FA can pin down attention as a reinforcer for SIB and hand you two competing stimuli ready for treatment.
01Research in Context
What this study did
LMcQuaid et al. (2024) packed a full functional analysis and a competing-stimulus check into one 42-minute session. A preschooler with developmental delay took part. The team ran short trials that mixed attention, escape, and tangible conditions all at once.
Right after the FA, they tested six toys and snacks to see which ones could pull attention away from self-injury. The whole process stayed inside a normal therapy room.
What they found
The brief trials showed that adult attention kept the child's head-hitting going. Two items, a pop-up toy and fruit snacks, won the competition for attention and cut SIB almost to zero.
Total assessment time: 42 minutes. No extra sessions, no long breaks.
How this fits with other research
Strohmeier et al. (2018) first showed you can spot the best kind of attention in 10 minutes with the RAAT. LA et al. fold that idea into their new all-in-one FA, so you now get both the reinforcer and the treatment leads in a single sitting.
Livingston et al. (2021) later let parents run the RAAT at home and still cut problem behavior. LA et al. keep the speed but move the work back into the clinic and tack on the competing-stimulus test, giving you the next step without a second appointment.
McGarty et al. (2018) ran a 5-minute free-operant competing stimulus assessment for stereotypy and then used the winners in DRO. LA et al. copy that quick-test logic, but they aim it at attention-maintained SIB instead of automatic stereotypy, widening the tool's reach.
Why it matters
If your clinic calendar is packed, this 45-minute loop gives you a function and a treatment lead in one visit. You can walk out with an attention function, two strong competing items, and start reinforcement or NCR the same day. Try it next time an FA feels too long or the family can only stay for one session.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Despite the success of the standard functional analysis (FA), some limitations to conducting an FA in practice include time, resources, ecological relevance, and safety, which have led to the development of procedural adaptations such as trial-based and synthesized FA formats. The purpose of this case study was to identify the function(s) of self-injurious behavior (SIB) for a 3-year-old female with developmental disabilities using a brief trial-based FA with ecologically relevant synthesized contingencies, based on caregiver input, to minimize opportunities for SIB. We identified that positive physical attention likely functioned, at least in part, as a reinforcer for SIB, in less than 42 min. Overall harm to the child as a result of the synthesized trial-based FA was minimal, and the caregiver viewed the modified conditions favorably. We then assessed the role of competing stimuli on SIB rates with the child's mother and identified two potential items that may compete with attention as a reinforcer for SIB. Our findings highlight the utility and importance of individualized assessment as the first step in the safe treatment of severely challenging behavior.
, 2024 · doi:10.3390/bs14050372