A Study of the Results of Functional Assessment on Handling Problem Behavior in Children with Multiple-Disabilities

• Main Authors: Li Su-Chuan, 李素娟
• Other Authors: 魏俊華
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2003
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/22056986336124969389

碩士 === 國立臺東大學 === 教育研究所 === 92 === This study took 3 children with multiple-disabilities who are currently in the upbringing and education institute as the research subjects. It was carried out through these 3 kinds of functional assessment methods: direct observations, the method of collecting data from related people, and functional analysis etc. An A-B-A design implementation was used for single-subject testing of multiple-baseline across situations. The goal was to use functional assessment to investigate the foundational strategy of behavior intervention strategies in improving problem behavior in children with multiple-disabilities and to establish administration efficiency for suitable behavior. The research results are stated below: 1.) The use of functional assessment can be effective for understanding the reasons for the occurrence and motivations of problem behavior in children with multiple-disabilities. This study utilized methods such as: direct observations of functional assessment, ABC behavior observation method, the method of data collection from related people, and experimental manipulation etc. The problem behavior of the 3 children who received testing was truly helpful in forming a problem behavior functional hypothesis about their personal values and functions. 2.) By using the results from functional assessment analysis, effective problem intervention strategies could be designed for children with multiple-disabilities. According to the results of functional assessment, this study formed functional hypothesis for problem behavior. Moreover, there was a division for the 3 children who received the testing, and individualized behavior intervention education was designed. The frequency of the occurrence of problem behavior was reduced, and the outcome was very positive. 3.) Using functional behavior assessment as a foundation, behavior intervention strategies can reduce problem behavior in children with multiple-disabilities. However, the results were not very significant for the establishment of suitable substitute behavior. Individualized intervention strategies were designed according to the results of functional assessment, and they were truly able to reduce problem behavior in children with multiple-disabilities. However, during the process of carrying out this study, the results for establishing substitute behavior were by no means significant. In the case study A, there was a state of obvious reduction for the amount of displayed problem behavior with 3 kinds of intervention situations during the B instruction phase. However, in the aspect of establishing substitute behavior, functions of incompatible behavior were not yet able to proceed to the next step in developing replacements for the functions of problem behavior. Therefore, this caused the results to still be unable to be as significant as previously predicted. In the case study B, there was a state of an obvious reduction in the display of the amount of problem behavior with 3 kinds of intervention situations during the B instruction phase. Therefore, unclear case studies are genuinely required, and in individual cases, there is a long-term habit of directly using problem behavior as self-expression. Probably because the researchers procrastinated in reinforcing suitable opportunities, this resulted in the impossibility of communication behavior immediately satisfying the needs for expression in the cases. Although the immediate results for communication behavior intervention were very positive, the results were still not very apparent. In the case study C, the state of reduction for the amount of problem behavior displayed continued to be slow with 3 kinds of intervention situations in the B instruction phase. When the researchers instructed him to use a communication picture card to express the notion of “rest”, as soon as the case was started, he still displayed the original problem behavior, because he did not understand. However, after the 3 types of active instructional situations, their performance was excellent during the B instruction phase. Only because their categorization abilities were not good, this caused the results to still not be significant. This study was also directed at practical service in education and addressed recommendations for future research.