In previous lessons, we?ve looked at some of the antecedent interventions one can use (e.g. Behavioural Momentum, Premack Principle) and some reactive strategies that can be used (e.g. extinction).
When discussing direct interventions, we looked at differential reinforcement. We noted that differential reinforcement can be used to reinforce the non-occurrence of a behaviour (DRO) or an incompatible behaviour (DRI).
We also discussed the differential reinforcement of alternative behaviours (DRA). One type of DRA procedure you can use is Functional Communication Training (FCT).
Functional communication training teaches a person a contextually appropriate alternative response to replace a behavior that challenges. In technical terms, FCT establishes an appropriate communicative behaviour to compete with problem behaviours evoked by a motivating operation.
The name for the new behaviour that replaces the problem behaviour is functional communication training is called a functionally equivalent replacement behaviour (FERB).
For example, a FERB for an escape maintained behaviour might be to ask for a break or to change the current task, a FERB for an attention maintained behaviour, might be to ask for some form of attention and a FERB for a tangible item might be to ask for that item.
For behaviour maintained by automatic reinforcement, we use matched stimulation instead of functional communication training to replace problem behaviour. Matched stimulation aims to produce the same sensory consequences as the behaviour that challenges. However, if that form of matched stimulation involves some tangible item or materials, you might teach the learner how to ask for those materials.
Let?s look at some examples:
A non-verbal child with diagnosis of ASD bangs their head on the table every time they want more juice. The act of banging their head is effective, as the mother refills the cup when they bang their head. The child is taught to tap their cup on the table to gain more juice to replace the banging head behaviour.
The act of tapping their cup on the table, is functionally equivalent to banging their head. When the child has an alternative means of accessing the same reinforcer, they are less likely to need to engage in headbanging to access the tangible reinforcer.
Tabitha is a child who pinches her sister in order to gain attention. A functionally equivalent replacement behaviour might be teaching her to say ?Play with me? when she wants to interact with her sister. If she uses this phrase, she will receive the same reinforcement from her peers.
Dominic sometimes hits and breaks items in his vocational training workshop. When he does this, the instructor comes to him and offers help. A functionally equivalent communication response, would be to teach Dominic to ask for help.
Response Effort
The term ?Response Effort? refers to the amount of energy a person must spend to successfully complete a specific behaviour. As response effort increases, the probability of a person using that behaviour decreases.
Similarly, as response effort decreases, the probability of a person using that behaviour increases.
Response effort is an important consideration when implementing Functional Communication Training. If engaging in the behaviour that challenges is ?easier? for the learner than engaging in the functional communication response, then they are less likely to engage in the communication response.
This is why, when using FCT, you need to consider the amount of effort required for a client.
For example, a client who normally communicates vocally, may find it very effortful to ask vocally for a break or to leave a stressful situation. It might be worth considering teaching the communication response ?break? or ?leave? using another modality ? such as by sign or by using a picture communication board.
Another learner, might typically use communication software on an i-Pad. If they are stressed, it might be too much effort to search through nested menus in order to find the correct symbol to ask to go to the toilet or for medication. You could reduce the amount of effort required, by placing a target functional communication response on the front page of the interface.
Enriching Consequences
When trying to teach a functionally equivalent replacement behaviour, it is also worth considering enhancing the quality of reinforcement received for engaging in a communication response.
If the communication response and the challenging behaviour both receive similar amounts of reinforcement and they are both equally effortful, then both will occur at similar rates.
One way to bias a learner towards a communication response over a behaviour that challenges, is to ensure that the quality of quantity of reinforcement receives for the communication response, is higher than that received for the behaviour that challenges.
For example, if somebody engages in self-injury to escape a demand, you want to ensure that the quality of escape they get for the communication response, is higher than the quality of escape they get for the self-injurious behaviour. You could do this my having a ?break area? that has some low level reinforcing items in it that can be made available if the learner asks for a break instead of self-injuring.
When to teach a Functional Communication Response
When teaching somebody to use a functional communication response, it is important to you teach them to use the communication response when the relevant motivating operation is in place.
For example, there is no point teaching somebody to ask for a break, when they are happily engaged in a task.
As part of a functional assessment, we often identify ?precursor behaviours? to challenging behaviours. These are behaviours that occur before a challenging behaviour. For example, somebody might characteristically tense their jaw, frown or start to pace before they engage in a behaviour that challenges. If you notice precursor behaviours like these, it is probably a good idea to prompt the relevant communication response. Similarly, if there is a known SD for a behaviour that challenges, you should prompt the communication response. For example, if an SD for challenging behaviour is a loud noise, if a loud noise occurs, you should prompt the communication response.