Reduction of Severe Problem Behavior in Community Employment Using an Hypothesis-Driven Multicomponent Intervention Approach

Individuals with severe problem behavior typically are excluded from integration efforts involving community employment. This study examined one strategy for reducing severe problem behavior in an employment situation. The strategy involved three factors: (a) interventions were chosen based on hypotheses about the maintaining variables for the problem behavior (hypothesis-driven model); (b) a multicomponent intervention package was used that included some combination of functional communication training, building rapport, making choices, embedding demands, and building tolerance for delay of reinforcement; and (c) measures of latency to problem behavior and percentage of work steps completed were used instead of the more traditional measure of frequency. The results demonstrated both an increase in the time spent in the employment situation without problem behavior and increases in completion of work steps to maximum. Social validation of these results was provided by employment site management. The value of this strategy for addressing the obstacles to assessment, measurement, and intervention for severe problem behavior in community employment situations was discussed.