Functional Communication Training

Description of the Strategy

Functional communication training (FCT) is an intervention strategy born out of the resurgence of interest in the functional analysis of human behavior within the field of behavior modification. Viewing problem behaviors as functional for the person emitting them has shifted the focus from considering those behaviors as “excess” or “maladaptive” to seeing them as adaptive in function, though inappropriate in form. When one views problem behavior as “mal-adaptive” or as “excess,” the intervention often focuses on decreasing or eliminating the problem behavior. In contrast, when one views the same behavior as useful (functional) for the person, the focus of intervention shifts to helping the person learn appropriate behaviors that will serve the same function as the problem behavior, thus ...