title: Menstrual discomfort as a biological setting event for severe problem behavior: assessment and intervention.
abstract: Assessment and intervention approaches for problem behavior need to be extended to deal with biological setting events. To meet assessment needs, we developed a strategy involving four components: interview, archival record review, direct observation, and functional analysis. Data indicated that problem behaviors (aggression, self-injury, and tantrums) were linked to both a biological setting event (menstrual discomfort) and certain discriminative stimuli (task demands). To meet intervention needs, we developed a multicomponent strategy that addressed both the biological context (menstrual discomfort) and the psychosocial context (task demands). Intervention reduced problem behaviors to near-zero levels, maintained for 15 to 22 months across 3 participants. We discuss the extension of our approach to other biological setting events as well as multiple motivational variables.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Stony Brook and Developmental Disabilities Institute, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500, USA. Edward.Carr@sunysb.edu
authors.forename: Edward G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: Christopher E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Theresa A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Giacin
authors.forename: Bernadette M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Whelan
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pancari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D008598:Menstruation / Q000523:psychology*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index