Examination of Systematic Durations of Presession Reinforcer Access on Functional Communication Training

In this study, we identified the latency to satiation with an activity that maintained problem behavior for a boy with autism. Next, functional communication training (FCT) was implemented. Prior to FCT sessions, the participant was exposed one of to two conditions of presession exposure to stimuli that served as the reinforcer during subsequent FCT sessions. Latency to satiation was used to systematically identify the two durations of stimulus access: (a) 25 % of the mean latency to satiation and (b) 50 % of the mean latency to satiation. Results indicate that while both durations of presession access to the preferred activity resulted in decreased problem behavior, independent manding during FCT was higher in the shorter duration of presession access. The implications of this research are that the presession exposure to stimuli can be systematically individualized to optimize its effect as a motivating operation.