Type of Document	Dissertation
Author	Volkert, Valerie Marie
Author's Email Address	vvolke1@lsu.edu
URN	etd-06232007-110351
Title	An Applied Evaluation of Resurgence: Functional Communication Training (FCT) and Treatment Relapse
Degree	Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department	Psychology
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title George Noell Committee Chair Dorothea Lerman Committee Co-Chair Amy Copeland Committee Member Nate Call Committee Member Melda Kunduk Dean's Representative
Keywords	problem behavior resurgence FCT autism
Date of Defense	2007-03-15
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract Extinction is a very important component of functional communication training (FCT). Thus, the potential undesirable effects of extinction must be considered before this type of treatment is implemented. Resurgence, the recurrence of previously reinforced behavior when another behavior is placed on extinction, is a possible undesirable effect of extinction. Resurgence may account for some instances of treatment relapse in situations where problem behavior recovers following implementation of extinction-based treatments such as FCT. Despite the potential relevance of resurgence to understanding why problem behavior may re-emerge, few applied studies have examined resurgence effects. The current study attempted to determine whether resurgence of problem behavior occurred when a newly taught alternative behavior was placed on extinction or contacted a thin schedule of reinforcement and if the resurgence effect could be repeated within an individual. The present investigation also replicated and extended the results of Experiments 2 and 4 in Lieving and Lattal (2003) by examining resurgence with human participants who engaged in aberrant behavior.
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