Evaluation of antecedent stimulus parameters for the treatment of escape-maintained aberrant behavior

Me evaluated a methodology for identifying the range of stimulus features o f antecedent stimuli associated with aberrant behavior in demand contexts i n natural settings. For each participant, an experimental analysis of antec edents (Phase 1) was conducted to confirm the hypothesis that task instruct ions occasioned increases in aberrant behavior. During Phase 2, specific st imulus features associated with the presentation of cask instructions were assessed by evaluating the child's behavior across two distinct. settings, therapists, and types of tasks in a sequential fashion. Aberrant behavior o ccurred immediately across settings and therapists, presumably because the presence of a discriminative stimulus for escape-maintained behavior (the d elivery of a task instruction) occasioned aberrant behavior. However, aberr ant behavior decreased initially across tasks, suggesting that familiarity with the task might be a variable. During Phase 3, an experimental (functio nal) analysis of consequences was conducted with 2 participants to verify t hat aberrant behavior was maintained by negative reinforcement. During Phas e 4, a treatment package that interspersed play with task instructions was conducted to disrupt the ongoing occurrence of aberrant: behavior. Immediat e and durable treatment effects occurred for 2 of the 3 participants.