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Functional Analysis of Severe Tantrums Displayed by Children with Language Delays

An Outclinic Assessment

John Northup

Joel E. Ringdahl

Linda A. Leblanc

Tanya M. Chauvin

Louisiana State University

The authors conducted brief assessments in an outclinic setting to identify the functional properties of severe tantrums in three preschool-age boys with language delays. For one child, tantrums were sensitive to positive reinforcement in the form of access to preferred tangible stimuli (toys and preferred food). For a second child, tantrums also were sensitive to positive reinforcement but in the form of maternal attention and access to preferred stimuli (toys). The third child's tantrums were multiply controlled. For each participant, alternative communicative responses were identified and reinforced as replacements for tantrums. Results showed that brief functional analyses of tantrums serve as viable assessment options in outclinic settings. Further, identification of the functional properties of tantrums allowed for selection of replacement behaviors, which may be particularly useful for children with communication delays.

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