Replacement behaviors for identified functions of challenging behaviors

▶ We reviewed treatments implemented for challenging behaviors. ▶ Functional assessment was used to determine treatments. ▶ Interventions included operant methods, skills building, and sensory treatments. ▶ Reinforcement procedures were the most common intervention strategies employed. Functional assessment has become a major feature of learning-based research. A critical element of the majority of these studies includes not only methods and procedures to identify the cause of the challenging behavior, but to establish replacement treatment methods. By far the most common intervention in the 176 studies we reviewed was reinforcement. Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) was the most common reinforcement method, followed by differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO). Reinforcement plus extinction was the second most commonly employed treatment followed by functional communication training with or without reinforcement. Researchers proved to be very creative. Forty different treatment methods were employed. The implications of these data are discussed.