Functional Communication Training Without the Removal of a Tangible Item

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) engage in challenging behavior that can result in missing out on potential reinforcers. A common intervention for challenging behavior is functional communication training (FCT). In FCT, the clinician reinforces an appropriate communicative response using the same reinforcer maintaining the challenging behavior. In some cases, the challenging behavior is too severe for traditional FCT procedures to efficiently teach a new response. In this case study, we treated a 4-year-old boy with ASD referred to as Mostafa using a modified version of FCT. We did not include a typical component of traditional FCT procedures – the removal of the putative reinforcer prior to the trial. Instead, we provided components of toys and games contingent on the appropriate communication response. None of the components had to be removed to continue conducting learning trials. Mostafa’s communication increased and challenging behavior decreased as a result of this modification. This modification may be useful for other cases in which the removal of a tangible item interferes with learning a communication response.