Evaluation of Mand-Reinforcer Relations Following Long-Term Functional Communication Training.

The investigators evaluated the relation between mands and positive reinforcement in the form of parent attention following long-term in-home treatment with functional communication training (FCT) for destructive behavior. Participants were 3 five-year-old children (2 boys, 1 girl) with developmental disabilities who manded to obtain different levels of parent attention (Phase 1). To determine whether the children's rate of manding would vary based on the amount of reinforcement received, the investigators adjusted the duration of parent attention (12 s vs. 30 s) provided to each child for manding on an FR1 schedule (Phase 2) using a reversal design. All 3 children changed their rates of manding so that each child maintained consistent levels of reinforcement across Phase 2 conditions.