EVALUATION OF CLIENT PREFERENCE FOR FUNCTION-BASED TREATMENT PACKAGES

Functional communication training (FCT) and noncontingent reinforcemen t (NCR) are commonly prescribed treatments that are based on the resul ts of a functional analysis. Both treatments involve delivery of the r einforcer that is responsible for the maintenance of destructive behav ior. One major difference between the two treatment procedures is that client responding determines reinforcement delivery with FCT (e.g., r einforcement of communication is delivered on a fixed-ratio 1 schedule ) but not with NCR (e.g., reinforcement is delivered on a fixed-time 3 0-s schedule). In the current investigation, FCT and NCR were equally effective in reducing 2 participants' destructive behavior that was se nsitive to attention as reinforcement. After the treatment analysis, t he participants' relative preference for each treatment was evaluated using a modified concurrent-chains procedure. Both participants demons trated a preference for the FCT procedure. The results are discussed i n terms of treatment efficacy and preference for control over when rei nforcement is delivered. In addition, a method is demonstrated in whic h clients with developmental disabilities can participate in selecting treatments that are designed to reduce their destructive behavior.