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Experimental Functional Analysis

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Functional Assessment for Challenging Behaviors

Part of the book series: Autism and Child Psychopathology Series ((ACPS))

Abstract

Experimental functional analysis, as it relates to the assessment of severe behavior disorders, refers to behavioral assessment procedures that involve manipulation of variables hypothesized to maintain problematic behavior (e.g., Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, & Richman, 1982/1994). For example, the assessment could involve intentionally providing attention as a consequence to problematic behavior in one test condition to test whether such attention increases (i.e., reinforces) the problem behavior. By testing for sensitivity to attention (and other consequences) as reinforcement, an experimental functional analysis has utility distinct from other forms of behavioral assessment insofar as the variables hypothesized to maintain behavior are directly manipulated rather than inferred.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    Timothy R. Vollmer & Amanda B. Rone

  2. State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA

    Henry S. Roane

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  1. Timothy R. Vollmer
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  2. Henry S. Roane
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  3. Amanda B. Rone
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Correspondence to Timothy R. Vollmer .

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  1. , Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, 70803, USA

    Johnny L. Matson

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Vollmer, T.R., Roane, H.S., Rone, A.B. (2012). Experimental Functional Analysis. In: Matson, J. (eds) Functional Assessment for Challenging Behaviors. Autism and Child Psychopathology Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3037-7_8

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