Evaluating the effects of functional communication training in the presence and absence of establishing operations

We conducted functional analyses of aberrant behavior with 4 children with developmental disabilities. We then implemented functional communication tr aining (FCT) by using different mands across two contexts, one in which the establishing operation (EO) that was relevant to the function of aberrant behavior was present and one in which the EO that was relevant to the funct ion of aberrant behavior was absent. The mand used in the EO-present contex t served the same function as aberrant behavior, and the mand used in the E O-absent context served a different function than the one identified via th e functional analysis. In addition, a free-play (control) condition was con ducted for all children. Increases in relevant manding were observed in the EO-present context for 3 of the 4 participants. Decreases in aberrant beha vior were achieved by the end of the treatment analysis for all 4 participa nts. Irrelevant mands were rarely observed in the EO-absent context for 3 o f the 4 participants. Evaluating the effectiveness of FCT across different contexts allowed a further analysis of manding when the establishing operat ions were present or absent. The contributions of this study to the underst anding of functional equivalence are also discussed.