History of Functional Analysis and Applied Behavior Analysis

The history of functional analysis, as both a concept and a procedure, can be traced back to the earliest days of the discipline of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and even to the earliest days of basic research in behavior analysis that formed the foundation for ABA. Indeed, it is not unreasonable to state that the history of functional analysis is inextricably linked to the history of the discipline of ABA. The general discipline of ABA and the concepts and methods of functional analysis have been built upon the conceptual foundation of operant conditioning, and as advancements have been made in the basic and conceptual arenas of behavior analysis, new re fi nements have been made in the area of application. It is sometimes said that the development of experimental functional analysis methodology by Iwata, among others, led to a major shift in focus in the fi eld of ABA toward an acknowledgment of the need for understanding the root causes of behavior before simply applying potent consequences. Some call this a transition from “behavior modi fi cation” to “applied behavior analysis” (Mace, 1994 ) . Appreciating the function of behavior when planning treatment is now widely regarded as best practice (as evidenced by the publication of this volume), but it was not always so. Early applications of behavioral principles to problematic behaviors in humans often failed to acknowledge the underlying function of behavior (Mace, 1994 ) . In this model, the application of potent reinforcers and punishers were effective when they simply overcame the ongoing contingencies with which they were juxtaposed, not because they addressed the core underlying cause or function of the behavior. The shift in focus to understanding the operant function of behavior before treating it marked a major evolution in ABA, but to say such a perspective was not present until standardized experimental assessment methodology had been published is an overstatement. As discussed in this chapter, the importance of understanding the environmental contingencies responsible for maintaining all behavior, aberrant or adaptive, was present since the beginnings of the fi eld, in Skinner’s writings and elsewhere. But little in the way of practical procedures was available for directly addressing the functions of behavior in clinical settings. As we outline in this chapter, the pioneering work of Bijou, Lovaas, Iwata, and Carr, among others, spurred a revolution in applied behavioral research by developing a basic experimental format for functional analysis that continues to thrive decades later. In this chapter, we start by brie fl y outlining the history of behavior analysis, the development of ABA, and the origins of procedures designed to ascertain the function of challenging behavior. We then describe the landmark paper by Iwata, D. R. Dixon (*) • T. Vogel • J. Tarbox Center for Autism and Related Disorders Inc. , 19019 Ventura Blvd. , Tarzana , CA 91356 , USA e-mail: d.dixon@centerforautism.com ; t.vogel@centerforautism.com ; j.tarbox@centerforautism.com A Brief History of Functional Analysis and Applied Behavior Analysis