Functional Communication Training

Functional communication can be a powerful and universal skill when supporting individuals across all diagnoses, ages, and ability levels. Strengthening functional communication means strengthening a person’s ability to meet their needs safely. Whether a person communicates through speech, gestures, sign language, AAC devices, eye gaze, communication boards, or emerging vocalizations, the ability to express needs effectively can dramatically decrease challenging behaviors and increase quality of life. Functional communication is not tied to any single disability category; instead, it reflects a fundamental human need, one that all people share, regardless of diagnosis.

Many challenging behaviors occur when a person lacks a reliable, efficient, and socially acceptable way to communicate their needs. This can include behaviors such as yelling, hitting, running away, withdrawing, refusing tasks, self-injury, or shutting down. These behaviors are rarely “random” or "come out of nowhere." More often, they serve clear communication purposes. See examples below:

Functional Communication Training (FCT) is an evidence-based intervention that can teach individuals to use a communication response that meets the same function as their problem behavior. Instead of focusing on reducing the behavior first, FCT prioritizes teaching a replacement skill. This replacement skill should yield the same results. For example, if an individual usually screams and hits you to communicate "stop". The replacement skills (e.g., saying "stop," signing "stop," giving you a stop sign icon, or touching the red circle on their communication board) should also result in you stopping the activity. Research across FCT studies indicates that it is effective for people with autism, ADHD, intellectual disabilities, developmental delays, emotional/behavioral disorders, and individuals with complex trauma or neurological conditions. In studies such as those conducted by researchers in functional communication training (e.g., Tiger et al., 2008; Ghaemmaghami et al., 2021; Houck et al., 2022), results demonstrated that when communication increased, challenging behavior typically decreased. 

Effective functional communication does not require long sentences or perfect speech. The goal is functional, not formal. For many individuals, a single-word request (“Help”), a gesture, a PEC symbol, or a button press is enough to significantly reduce frustration. For others, especially adolescents and adults, communication may involve expressing emotions, preferences, boundaries, or discomfort (“I don’t like that,” “I need space,” “I’m overwhelmed”). The key is to ensure the communication method matches the person’s abilities/needs and produces the same results as the undesired behavior. To ensure that FCT is successful, it will need to be consistent across locations, individuals, and settings. Everyone interacting with the individual (e.g., caregivers, teachers, Direct Support Personnel DSPs, clinicians, and peers) should reinforce communication attempts immediately. Reinforcement should always be easier and delivered in the same manner, if not stronger and more reliable than the reinforcement the person previously received for engaging in challenging behavior. This consistency makes the new communication skill worth using and valuable. Practical strategies for strengthening functional communication include: 

• Modeling communication throughout the day

• Offering choices

• Providing access to AAC or visuals (within arm's reach)

• Prompting communication before frustration builds

• Praising all efforts, not just perfect responses

• Making the FCT easier than the challenging behavior  

It is equally important to listen closely to unconventional communication, body language, facial expressions, pacing, withdrawal, and other subtle behaviors may all signal needs. Responding respectfully builds trust and supports self-advocacy. Functional communication aims to empower individuals across all diagnoses to express themselves clearly, meet their needs, build relationships, and navigate their world with greater independence. When we invest in communication, we invest in dignity, autonomy, and long-term behavioral success.

References

Tiger, J. H., Hanley, G. P., & Bruzek, J. (2008). Functional communication training: A review and practical guide. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 1(1), 16–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391716 

Ghaemmaghami, M., et al. (2021). Functional communication training: From efficacy to effectiveness. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(1), xx-xx. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.782 (Note: use actual page numbers once you verify)

Houck, E. J., et al. (2022). A practitioner’s guide for selecting functional communication training as a treatment to reduce problem behaviour. Behaviour Change, 39(4), 259-274. https://doi.org/10.1017/bec.2022.12

Debbie Castoreno, Miren behavior, Behavior Specalist