title: Identifying academic demands that occasion problem behaviors for students with behavioral disorders: illustrations at the elementary school level.
abstract: In two independent experiments, we (a) examined aspects of academic demands associated with the problem behaviors of two elementary students with behavioral disorders and (b) investigated the effects of academic interventions to decrease problem behaviors and increase task engagement. Preliminary functional behavior assessment data suggested each student participant's problem behaviors functioned to escape/avoid academic demands, and experimental structural analyses performed in naturalistic settings confirmed relations between their problem behaviors and specific features of academic tasks. Antecedent-based interventions were developed for each student and separate single-case alternating treatment experiments indicated functional relations between the academic interventions and appropriate task engagement. Findings support the use of structural analyses to inform academic planning and improve the behaviors of students who exhibit escape-maintained problem behaviors associated with academic tasks.
authors.affiliation: Texas A&M University, College Station, USA shaganburke@tamu.edu.
authors.forename: Shanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hagan-Burke
authors.affiliation: Wynne Solutions & Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Maria Wynne
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Gilmour
authors.affiliation: Texas A&M University, College Station, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gerow
authors.affiliation: Piedmont College, Athens, GA, USA.
authors.forename: William Clay
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Crowder
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004519:Education, Special / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000066553:Problem Behavior; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students
keywords: academic intervention; antecedent analysis; behavior disorders; functional analysis; structural analysis