A descriptive analysis of social consequences following problem behavior

The social consequences delivered for problem behavior during functional an alyses are presumed to represent common sources of reinforcement; however, the extent to which these consequences actually follow problem behavior in natural set tings remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to determi ne whether access to attention, escape, or tangible items is frequently obs erved as a consequence of problem behavior under naturalistic conditions. T wenty-seven adults who lived in a state residential facility and who exhibi ted self-injurious behavior, aggression, or disruption participated. Observ ers recorded the occurrence of problem behavior by participants as well as a variety of consequences delivered by caregivers. Results indicated that a ttention was the most common consequence for problem behavior and that aggr ession was more likely to produce social consequences than were other forms of problem behavior.