Evaluation of Choice Allocation Between Positive and Negative Reinforcement During Functional Communication Training with Young Children

We evaluated choice-making procedures during in-home assessment and functional communication training (FCT) with two young children with developmental disabilities. Functional analysis results showed that one child's destructive behavior was maintained by negative reinforcement and the 2nd child's behavior was maintained by both positive and negative reinforcement. A choice assessment was conducted to identify each child's relative preference for positive reinforcers that were then included in the FCT program. Treatment conditions consisted of FCT for escape-maintained behavior with and without a choice-making component (FCT + choice). We evaluated whether the positive reinforcers identified during the choice assessment would influence the child to choose to participate in FCT even though avoidance or escape from task demands (i.e., negative reinforcement) was provided as an option during FCT + choice treatment procedures. Results showed that both children chose to participate in FCT when given a choice and displayed reductions in destructive behavior across treatment conditions. These results demonstrated how positive reinforcers identified via a choice assessment may be used in the treatment of escape-maintained destructive behavior.