Using Functional Communication Training to Reduce Screaming Behavior in a Young Girl with Autism

Children with autism may engage in challenging behaviors due to language delays and lack of functional communicative repertoire. The present case study examines a 5-year old girl with autism who engages in screaming induced by accessibility to tangibles. The primary objective was to assess and identify the function of screaming and propose an effective intervention plan. Initially, a parametric analog assessment was conducted to identify the most effective schedule of reinforcement using the Antecedents-Behavior-Consequences and the Questions About Behavioral Function. The results showed that access to tangibles promote screaming behavior. The Functional Communication Training and daily preference assessment were used to develop her manding, while decreasing the occurrence of screaming. The intervention resulted in a significant increase in the client's requesting for a preferred item across 10 sessions with a concomitant decrease in the occurrence of screaming.