Effects of Antecedent and Response Variables on the Persistence of Communication

描述（由申请人提供）：功能性沟通训练（FCT）是最广泛使用的治疗方法，用于解决发育障碍个体表现出的问题行为。在许多已发表的研究中，这一策略已被证明是有效的。然而，关于这些治疗中包括的沟通策略的选择以及在实施FCT时使用前因刺激（如反应提示）的方式的研究很少。所选择的沟通策略和提示沟通的方法可能会影响治疗成果的长期维持，特别是当治疗完整性受到挑战时（例如，治疗未按设计实施）。与反应持久性（即，当受到挑战时反应的持续）相关的研究表明，反应-强化变量（如强化率）会影响它。这些效应已经在基本的[行为动量理论]文献和应用文献中被证明是关于问题行为的反应持久性的。其他类型的变量，如反应-反应变量和刺激-反应变量，是如何影响反应持久性的，尤其是适当行为（如交流）的反应持久性的，这一点还不太清楚。临床上，我们设计的治疗方法不仅要减少问题行为和制定适当的策略来获得强化物，而且要产生适当的行为，在面对治疗挑战时具有弹性，这一点很重要。拟议的研究将提供更多关于如何选择在受到挑战时持续时间最长的沟通策略以及如何构建治疗的至少一个先决组成部分（反应提示）以促进反应持久性的信息。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Functional communication Training (FCT) is the most widely used treatment approach to address problem behavior exhibited by individuals with developmental disabilities. This strategy has been demonstrated to be effective in numerous published studies. However, little research has been conducted regarding the selection of the communication strategies included in such treatments and the manner in which antecedent stimuli, such as response prompts, are used when FCT is implemented. It is possible that communication strategy selected and the method by which it is prompted may affect the long-term maintenance of treatment gains, particularly when treatment integrity is challenged (e.g., treatment is not implemented as designed). Research related to response persistence (i.e., the continuation of a response when challenged) has demonstrated that response-reinforcer variables such as the rate of reinforcement will influence it. These effects have been demonstrated in the basic [behavioral momentum theory] literature and in the applied literature with respect to the response persistence of problem behavior. What is less well understood is how other types of variables, such as response-response variables and stimulus-response variables, will affect response persistence and, in particular, the response persistence of appropriate behavior such as communication. Clinically, it is important that we design treatments that not only result in the reduction of problem behavior and the development of appropriate strategies to obtain reinforcers, but that also produce appropriate behavior that is resilient in the face of challenges to treatment. The proposed studies will provide more information regarding how to select the communication strategy that will persist longest when challenged and how to structure at least one antecedent component of the treatment (response prompting) to facilitate response persistence.