Functional analysis of behavior in adults with deep intellectual disability: a case study
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Abstract
The present study aims at the functional analysis of behavior problems of a person with profound intellectual disability (ID), in order to design an effective behavioral intervention. An adult with profound ID and autistic traits belonging to a special school for adults (AFANAS-Jerez) was selected for the study. Using a methodology of functional analysis, the participant was observed under different conditions (attention, demand , tangible and alone) for three experimental sessions and three control sessions each one. In the experimental sessions differents environmental conditions were manipulated, presenting or removing different stimuli or situations and evaluating how these manipulations influenced in the behavior of the person. All sessions were collected by videotaping subsequently recorded and analyzed with The Observer XT software, obtaining systematic information concerning the frequency of problem behaviors. The results showed that the behavior problems presented by the participants were sensitive to different experimental conditions. Self-injurious behaviors were more sensitive to self-stimulation, while physical aggressive behaviors were more sensitive to the condition of attention and tangible positive reinforcement. Finally, stereotyped behaviors were more sensitive to positive social reinforcement and tangible social care by automatic reinforcement. In conclusion, the experimental sessions are a practical , simple and rapid procedure to apply, offering clear evidence about the role of problem behaviors, directing towards the design of personalized intervention programs, with The Observer XT useful tool for purposes research in functional analysis of behavior in natural contexts.
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