Felipe Magalhães Lemos, Joshua Jessel
Functional analysis is the gold standard procedure for assessing problem behaviors. Treatments informed by functional analyses are reported as more efficient and with lower probabilities of resurgence and failures. However, in research conducted by Roscoe et al. (2015) and Oliver et al. (2015), it is reported that behavior analysts and special teachers do not use it due to the difficulty of the procedure, time spent on the application, ethical concerns related to reinforcing problem behavior and risk to theclient. To solve this problem, Hanley et al. (2014) developed a functional analysis procedure that could be applied in less than 30 minutes, producing differentiated and low-risk outcomes for clients. This functional analysis became known as IISCA (Interview-Informed Synthesized Contingency Analysis) because it has three stages: an open-ended interview to gather the information that will individualize the analysis, a brief observation, and the functional analysis itself. During the application of functional analysis, the contingencies are synthesized, with only one test condition and a matched control condition (but with non-contingent reinforcement) to be used to compare the effect of the analysis. The objective of the analysis is to evoke the problem behavior in all test sessions when the establishing operation is progressed and eliminate it in the control sessions. The procedure has been enhanced and can be performed today with less than 10 minutes of application, reaching criteria to be informed by trauma and informing efficient and socially validated treatment. This activity aims to teach the five central components of IISCA: single testing condition; individualization of the analysis by interview; synthesis of contingencies; matched control condition; and open contingency class. Participants are expected to be able to describe all processes at the end of the course.