TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRUCTURED CRITERIA FOR INTERPRETATION OF FUNCTIONAL-ANALYSIS DATA

Using functional analysis results to prescribe treatments is the prefe rred method for developing behavioral interventions. Little is known, however, about the reliability and validity of visual inspection for t he interpretation of functional analysis data. The purpose of this inv estigation was to develop a set of structured criteria for visual insp ection of multielement functional analyses that, when applied correctl y, would increase interrater agreement and agreement with interpretati ons reached by expert consensus. In Study 1, 3 predoctoral interns int erpreted functional analysis graphs, and interrater agreement was low (M = .46). In Study 2, 64 functional analysis graphs were interpreted by a panel of experts, and then a set of structured criteria were deve loped that yielded interpretive results similar to those of the panel (exact agreement = .94). In Study 3, the 3 predoctoral interns from St udy 1 were trained to use the structured criteria, and the mean interr ater agreement coefficient increased to .81. The results suggest: that (a) the interpretation of functional analysis data may be less reliab le than is generally assumed, (b) decision-making rules used by expert s in the interpretation of functional analysis data can be operational ized, and (c) individuals can be trained to apply these rules accurate ly to increase interrater agreement. Potential uses of the criteria ar e discussed.