title: Antecedent events as predictive variables for behavioral function.
abstract: Challenging behavior is one of the largest barriers to ensuring that people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are able to participate in the community. These difficulties have become one of the main causes of social exclusion. The research into and treatment of challenging behavior has usually involved the identification of its function and the manipulation of the events or environmental conditions that influence its occurrence (antecedent variables). The present research explores the relationship between antecedents and behavioral function and the extent to which antecedent variables may act as predictors of behavioral function. This relationship is explored using two standardized instruments: Questions About Behavioral Function and Contextual Assessment Inventory. Data from the validation of these instruments for the Spanish population involved 300 participants with ID and 328 challenging behaviors. The results suggest that social/cultural variables are most related to challenging behavior, whereas biological variables seem to only be related to physically maintained behavior.
authors.affiliation: Ramon Llull University, c/ Císter, 34, 08022 Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: davidsp@blanquerna.url.edu.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simó-Pinatella
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Font-Roura
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alomar-Kurz
authors.forename: Climent
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giné
authors.forename: Johnny L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Matson
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cifre
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012931:Social Environment; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Antecedent variables; Behavioral function; CAI; Challenging behavior; Functional assessment; Intellectual disabilities; QABF