Functional Assessment and Intervention in a Regular Classroom Setting for the Disruptive Behavior of a Student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Corey, an 8-year-old boy with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), attended regular third-grade classes at his local elementary school. During various academic instruction, Corey frequently displayed disruptive behaviors that rarely occurred during the rest of the school day. Assessment and intervention involved a three-phase study. The first phase, a brief functional (analog) analysis, identified that Corey's disruptive behaviors were maintained by escape from task demands. The second phase, a curriculum-based assessment, identified that Corey's disruptive behavior occurred most frequently during specific seating and grouping arrangements. The third phase examined the effectiveness of an intervention derived from the assessments. Results showed an immediate reduction in disruptive behavior and an increase in appropriate behavior that lasted throughout the data collection period. The intervention received very high treatment acceptability ratings from the teaching staff.