Recent Research on the Functional Analysis of Challenging Behavior is the kind of topic that looks straightforward until it collides with the speed, ambiguity, and competing demands of clinic sessions and day-to-day service delivery. In Recent Research on the Functional Analysis of Challenging Behavior, for this course, the practical stakes show up in stronger conceptual consistency and better translational decision making, not in abstract discussion alone.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via Florida Association of Behavior Analysis
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Join Free →The development and evolution of functional analytic methodology has revolutionized clinical approaches to the treatment of challenging behavior. One study in this symposium will extend prior research on how, exactly, this technology has altered the course of treatment selection in the behavior-analysis literature. Functional-analytic methodology has been modified and expanded over the years and recent developments have included modifications designed to expedite the assessment process, including screening procedures and alternative dependent variables. A second paper in this symposium will examine the utility of one screening procedure, the automatic-reinforcement "screener," to evaluate the extent to which alternative responses observed during the screener correspond with the function of socially mediated problem behavior, while a third paper will evaluate the utility of a common alternative dependent measure, trial-based data collection, towards understanding the influence of pain/discomfort as a motivative variable for challenging behavior. Finally, several concerns have arisen about possible side effects and detrimental effects of functional analyses. The final paper in this symposium will examine the likelihood of one such concern, the potential for establishing novel functional relations during the assessment process.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1.5 | General |
| COA | 1.5 | — |
| FL MH/PSY | 0 | — |
Iser DeLeon earned his Ph.D. at the University of Florida, where he is now Professor in the Department of Psychology. Prior positions include Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Director of Research Development for the Department of Behavioral Psychology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Dr. DeLeon is a Fellow of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) and has served the behavior analysis community in several roles including President of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, President of the Maryland Association for Behavior Analysis, Associate Editor for both the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, member of the Board of Directors for the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, and member of the ABAI Science Board. Dr. DeLeon’s research has focused on assessment and treatment of problem behavior in persons with neurodevelopmental disorders, identification of preferences and determinants of choice, and translation of basic behavioral processes towards enhancing therapeutic and instructional outcomes. He was the 2020 recipient of the American Psychological Association (Division 25) Don Hake Translational Research Award and the 2024 recipient of the American Psychological Association (Division 25) Nate Azrin Distinguished Contribution to Applied Behavior Analysis Award.
Dig into the research behind this topic — plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
280 research articles with practitioner takeaways
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
252 research articles with practitioner takeaways
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.