DOES FUNCTIONAL COMMUNICATION TRAINING COMPETE WITH ONGOING CONTINGENCIES OF REINFORCEMENT - AN ANALYSIS DURING RESPONSE ACQUISITION AND MAINTENANCE

We examined the effectiveness of functional communication training (FC T) in reducing self-injurious behavior (SIB) and in shaping an alterna tive (communicative) response while SIB continued to be reinforced. Fo llowing a functional analysis of 3 individuals' SIB, we attempted to t each an alternative response consisting of a manual sign to each indiv idual, using the reinforcer that maintained SIB. When FCT was implemen ted without extinction, SIB remained at baseline rates for all partici pants, and none of the participants acquired the alternative response. When extinction was added to the training procedure, SIB decreased an d manual signing increased for all participants. To determine if signi ng, when established, would compete with SIB when both were reinforced , extinction was then withdrawn. Signing was maintained and SIB occurr ed at low rates for 2 individuals, but SIB returned to baseline rates for the 3rd individual, necessitating the reimplementation of extincti on. These results suggest that it may be difficult to establish altern ative behaviors if inappropriate behavior continues to be reinforced, but that, when established, alternative behavior might compete success fully with ongoing contingencies of reinforcement for inappropriate be havior.