Training Parents to Implement Trial-Based Functional Analyses: A Partial Replication and Extension with Elementary-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Trial-based functional analyses (TBFA) have been implemented successfully by multiple behavior change agents (e.g., teachers, group home staff, students) in a variety of settings (e.g., schools, group homes) with high procedural fidelity. However, few studies have included parents as implementers of TBFAs when assessing challenging behavior. In addition, there is a paucity of research on effective training methods to teach parents how to effectively conduct a TBFA with their own children at home. Behavior skills training (BST) has been widely used to teach multiple behavior assessments and treatments to caregivers. Thus, the purpose of this study was to extend and replicate current research by using BST to teach parents of elementary-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to implement TBFA procedures. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline across participants design was used to assess procedural fidelity before and after parents were trained to implement four conditions of the TBFA (i.e., attention, tangible, escape, and no interaction). We found that all parents engaged in a high percentage of procedural fidelity following BST. The implications of these results are discussed.