Psychology Commons^™

Functional Analysis Of Ear Plugging And Treatment Analysis Of Noise Dampening Headphones, Erin M. Beardsley Psyd

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This current study presents a single case comprehensive functional behavioral assessment of ear plugging behavior that began with the application of traditional functional analysis technology and followed the function based treatment recommendations through a systematic treatment analysis. Results of the functional analysis indicated that the behavior was maintained by automatic positive reinforcement (i.e. ear plugging behaviors produced a reinforcing sensory consequence). These data were in contrast to prior clinical impressions that the individual’s ear plugging behaviors were maintained by automatic negative reinforcement (i.e. ear plugging served to block aversive auditory stimuli). To test hypothesis that headphones were functionally equivalent with …