EPISODIC SEVERITY: An Overlooked Dependent Variable in the Application of Behavior Analysis to Challenging Behavior

Authors: Gary W. LaVigna, Thomas J. Willis, and Robert L. Koegel

Abstract Although applied behavior analysis has made a significant contribution in the area of challenging behavior, to date, researchers have not systematically investigated the EPISODIC SEVERITY of behavior as a dependent variable. EPISODIC SEVERITY is defined as the measure of intensity or gravity of a behavioral incident. Research up to now has investigated changes in behavior over time, but not the degree to or speed with which a behavioral incident can be safely resolved. As a result, practitioners have had to look beyond applied behavior analysis to emergency management systems such as Mandt, Nappi, CPI, and the like, which have not been empirically tested. This article proposes including EPISODIC SEVERITY as an additional dependent variable to enhance the social validity of behavioral plans and discusses the resulting implications for new terms and strategies.