A clinical evaluation and validation of a competing stimulus assessment targeting excessive functional communication responses

Functional communication training (FCT) is a commonly used treatment for socially maintained challenging behavior. Although highly efficacious, increases in challenging behavior are often observed during schedule thinning within FCT. Prior research has demonstrated that providing competing stimuli in the extinction component of a multiple schedule reduced socially mediated challenging behavior during schedule thinning. Another difficulty practitioners may face is an increase in incorrect functional communication responses (FCRs) during extinction. In the current study, we sought to extend research on FCT and competing stimulus assessments (CSAs) by identifying competing stimuli for FCRs, rather than challenging behavior, for three individuals who exhibited high rates of incorrect FCRs during schedule thinning. We identified high-competition stimuli when we placed the FCR on extinction during the CSA and observed challenging behavior infrequently. Competing stimuli combined with FCT facilitated schedule thinning during treatment, reducing incorrect FCRs while maintaining low levels of challenging behavior.