The development and factor structure of the Functional Assessment for multiple causaliTy (FACT)

Johnny L. Matson, Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, 236 Audubon Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-5501, USA. johnmatson@aol.com
David E. Kuhn
Dennis R. Dixon
Stephen B. Mayville
Rinita B. Laud
Christopher L. Cooper
Carrie J. Malone
Noha F. Minshawi, Neurobiology of Nutrition & Metabolism Department, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.
Hans Rudolf Berthoud, Neurobiology of Nutrition & Metabolism Department, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.
Winfried Neuhuber, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Bavaria, Germany.
Heike Münzberg, Neurobiology of Nutrition & Metabolism Department, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.

Abstract

Since behavioral intervention is linked to the findings of a functional assessment, the reality of behaviors maintained by multiple functions is a frequent and troublesome issue for clinicians and researchers. Current methods of functional assessment provide little help in the way of providing information useful for prioritizing intervention strategies for problematic behaviors maintained by multiple functions. In an effort to account for this deficiency, we developed the Functional Assessment for multiple CausaliTy (FACT). The FACT is an informant-based, forced-choice measure designed to identify the most prominent function associated with the occurrence of problem behaviors. In the present study, we describe the factor structure and internal consistency of the FACT. Suggestions are provided for future validation strategies.