Functional communication training and a chained schedule of reinforcement to reduce escape‐maintained challenging behavior related to a daily routine
Parent-run FCT plus a chained reward schedule can end escape battles over daily chores.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Rivera et al. (2023) worked with one six-year-old boy with autism.
The boy screamed and ran off when asked to take out the trash.
Parents learned to teach him to say "Help, please" instead.
They also used a chained schedule: first he got a short break for the mand, then later he earned a bigger reward after finishing the chore.
What they found
Challenging behavior dropped to zero during trash time.
The boy now carries the bag to the curb with only one polite request for help.
Parents kept the plan going without the therapist present.
How this fits with other research
Gerow et al. (2018) reviewed 26 parent-FCT studies and found the same good result: parent-led FCT cuts problem behavior.
Muharib et al. (2022) showed that adding a delay after the mand keeps gains; Rivera’s chained schedule is a new way to add that delay without tears.
Campos et al. (2017) used a multiple schedule and saw little mand discrimination.
Rivera switched to a chained schedule and got clean stimulus control: the boy knew exactly when to say "Help, please."
The papers do not clash; they show the next step: pick the right thinning tactic for the home.
Why it matters
You can hand this plan to parents tonight.
Teach one polite escape phrase, then chain a small reward to the end of the chore.
No extra staff, no fancy tech—just a trash bag and a timer.
Try it with any routine that turns into a battle: bed-making, tooth-brushing, or feeding the dog.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorder often exhibit challenging behavior to avoid exposure to common daily tasks or routines. There is a need to investigate methods to teach appropriate communication to replace challenging behavior and increase tolerance for daily routines. However, the data to support its use to decrease challenging behavior associated with an activity or routine is limited. In the present study, the authors evaluated the use of parent‐implemented functional communication training (FCT) with a modified chained schedule of reinforcement to reduce challenging behavior associated with a nonpreferred daily routine. One 6‐year‐old male diagnosed with autism participated in this study. The functional analysis indicated that he engaged in challenging behavior to terminate throwing trash away. The authors then conducted a treatment evaluation to assess the efficacy of the FCT with a modified chained schedule of reinforcement in reducing challenging behavior and increasing the number of items that could be thrown in the trash. Results indicated that FCT with a modified chained schedule of reinforcement was effective in decreasing challenging behavior.
Behavioral Interventions, 2023 · doi:10.1002/bin.1972