Functional Analysis and Chained Schedule Treatment of Elopement in Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ABSTRACT

Elopement is one of the most common forms of problem behavior for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is associated with the greatest probability of a lethal outcome. This study evaluated the effects of a function-based treatment package on elopement for two teenage boys with ASD who eloped frequently from caregivers. Functional analyses (FA) identified the variables that evoked and maintained each teen’s elopement. Treatment involved a chained schedule comprised primarily of empirically derived differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO), functional communication training (FCT), and extinction procedures. The treatment produced clinically significant decreases in elopement for both teens. Decreases in elopement maintained when the treatment evaluation was extended to additional contexts. The current study extends the literature on assessment and treatment of elopement and chained schedule treatments that involve both DRO and FCT.

KEYWORDS:

• Autism
• behavioral intervention
• elopement
• functional analysis

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Availability of Data and Material

The data that support the findings of this study are available upon reasonable request.

Ethics Approval

All procedures performed in this study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional review board and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Consent to Participate/For Publication

Informed consent was obtained for all individual participants included in the study.

Additional information

Funding

The authors did not receive financial support from any organization for the submitted work.