Turkish Special Education Teachers' Implementation of Functional Analysis in Classroom Settings

Abstract

Three Turkish special education teachers conducted a functional analysis to identify variables that might initiate or maintain the problem behaviors of three children with developmental disabilities. The analysis procedures were conducted in natural classroom settings. In Phase 1, following initial training in functional analysis procedures, the teachers generated hypotheses regarding the function of children's problem behaviors. Hypotheses emerged from parent interview and direct observation data. In Phase 2, the hypotheses were tested using functional analysis procedures developed by Iwata and his colleagues. For two of the three children, functional analysis results were consistent with hypotheses developed during Phase 1. Results for all children suggested that special education teachers were able to implement the descriptive and experimental phases of functional analysis procedures. Turkish teachers effectively identified specific contingencies that were likely to initiate or maintain problem behavior for each of the three children.