Study Notes on Test Control Functional Analyses

Test Control Functional Analyses

  • Definition and Purpose

    • Test control functional analyses (also known as a single function test or pairwise functional analysis) refer to a methodology that allows for the examination of one maintaining variable when time is limited.
    • These analyses are efficient because they focus solely on confirming a suspected maintaining variable, allowing direct treatment applications without extensive testing of multiple variables.

  • Papers for Reference

    • Awada et al. (1994) discusses the implementation of a single function test methodology, aiming to reduce time and improve clarity in results.

Awada et al. (1994) Methodology

  • Goals of the Methodology

    • Address discrimination failure when quickly alternating between conditions, noticing how it affects client responses.
    • Prevent interaction effects between conditions that might confuse the results, as seen with abolishing operations (AOs) or extinction bursts.

  • Methodological Design

    • The authors combined aspects of multi-element and reversal designs to maintain clarity without necessitating multiple reversals.
    • Test and control conditions are executed concurrently, yet the test conditions are presented sequentially to reduce interaction effects.
    • Baseline/control remains constant, while test conditions vary across series, making up a sequential test control methodology.

  • Participants

    • Five adults (3 male, 2 female) from a residential facility for individuals with developmental disabilities, diagnosed with severe/profound intellectual disabilities and histories of self-injurious behavior.

  • Procedure

    • Conducted a multi-element functional analysis followed by sequential test control (pairwise analyses) to compare outcomes.
    • Multi-element design consisted of alternating control condition (play) with test conditions (attention, demand).

Results from Awada et al. (1994)

  • Data Assessment

    • Data represented responses per participant (e.g., Jake and Jerry) displayed through graphs comparing functional analyses results.
    • Consistent patterns observed between multi-element and test control techniques for two of five participants.
    • Clarified unclear initial results for some participants using pairwise analysis.

  • Conclusions

    • Multi-element designs yield efficiency but combining aspects of both designs may clarify findings.
    • Noted the difference in session length, suggesting potential stopping points once clear maintenance variables are identified, reducing assessment times.
    • Recommended testing only one condition against a control if a strong suspicion of a maintaining variable arises based on observations or interviews.

Stromier et al. Case Study Example

  • Participant Description

    • A 20-year-old male with cerebral palsy, diagnosed conditions included right hemiparesis, global developmental delay, and a seizure disorder, showing aggressive behavior in the context of divided attention.

  • Assessment Procedure

    • Conducted descriptive assessments with observational data that indicated aggressive behavior emerged mainly when the participant was exposed to divided attention.
    • Conducted functional analysis using test control methodology with eight sessions alternating between divided attention and control conditions.

  • Graphical Results

    • Results showed a clear functional relation between aggressive behavior and divided attention conditions, represented distinctly between test and control phases prior to implementation of treatment.

  • Treatment Outcomes

    • Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA) was employed, which resulted in significant behavioral decreases and successful learning of functional communication by the participant.

Implications and Considerations of Functional Analysis

  • Shortening Assessments

    • Discussion on the efficiency of functional analyses and the ability to conduct shorter assessments without compromising the accuracy of results.

  • Wallace and Iwata (1999)

    • Proposed that instead of fewer sessions leading to less clarity, repeated brief sessions could enhance clarity and reliability.
    • Conduct comparisons of functional analyses at different session durations (5, 10, and 15 minutes).
    • Perfect agreements noted between 10 and 15-minute sessions, while discrepancies surfaced with 5-minute sessions, thus suggesting 10-minute sessions as a safer standard.

  • Griffith et al. Study

    • Extended research on session duration in children with autism and functional behavior assessments aiming to validate previous findings.
    • Emphasis on practical applications, confirming that effective treatment outcomes can stem from brief and stratified functional analyses.

Future Considerations

  • Discussion of clinical scenarios where extended session durations might be warranted, balancing efficiency with the necessity for precise identification of maintaining conditions.
  • The recommendations provided serve as guidelines; individual clinical situations may require flexibility in the approach to functional analyses.