THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF FUNCTIONAL COMMUNICATION TRAINING IN-HOME SETTINGS

A four-phase study was conducted in the homes of 4 young children who displayed aberrant behavior. Phases 1 and 2 consisted of a series of d escriptive and experimental analyses to identify the environmental ant ecedents and consequences that controlled aberrant behavior. Phases 3 and 4 evaluated the short- and long-term effects of treatment: on aber rant behavior, target mands, and collateral (social and toy play) beha viors. The effects of treatment were monitored for up to 27 months to assess long-term suppression of aberrant behavior. The assessment resu lts successfully identified environmental events that occasioned and m aintained aberrant behavior for au children.:The short-term treatment resulted in immediate decreases in aberrant behavior for 3 of 4 childr en. Longterm treatment was successful for all children and was correla ted with substantial response generalization. These results are interp reted in relation to functional equivalence, pivotal responding, and r esponse generalization.