Issue Information
No abstract is available for this article. (Source: Behavioral Interventions)
Source: Behavioral Interventions - February 5, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Tags: Issue Information Source Type: research
Evaluating the efficacy of the Headsprout © reading program with children who have spent time in care
This study investigated whether Headsprout©, an internet‐based phonics program designed on behavioral principles, is an effective supplementary tool to improve literacy skills of children who have spent time in care and are at risk of reading failure. Participants were 8 children (aged 5 to 10) who had spent over 3 years in care and were fully adopted at the time of the study. Participants' literacy skills were assessed prior to intervention using 2 standardized reading attainment tests. Participants were then randomly assigned to either treatment or a waiting list comparison group. There were 2 Headsprout© treatments...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - February 1, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Catherine Storey, Claire McDowell, Julian C. Leslie Tags: BRIEF REPORT Source Type: research
The effects of an escape extinction procedure using protective equipment on self ‐injurious behavior
While escape extinction has shown to be successful in reducing escape maintained self‐injurious behavior, there is limited research on the use of escape extinction with protective equipment for escape maintained self‐injurious behavior. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of an escape extinction procedure paired with the application of protective equipment on the escape maintained self‐injurious behavior of an 8‐year‐old boy diagnosed with autism. Results suggested that escape extinction using protective equipment for safety is an effective approach to decrease head hitting. Rates of self...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - January 31, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Lisa Tereshko, Donn Sottolano Tags: BRIEF REPORT Source Type: research
Effects of response independent delivery of preferred items and the high ‐probability instructional sequence on compliance
In this study, we examined the effects of response independent reinforcement and the high‐p sequence on compliance with two types of instructions with two young children. Results show that neither procedure was effective for increasing compliance for either type of instruction; however, contingent access to a high preference item increased compliance. Results are discussed in terms of the conditions under which response independent delivery of high‐preference items and the high‐p instructional sequence might be effective to increase compliance. (Source: Behavioral Interventions)
Source: Behavioral Interventions - January 31, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Joshua Lipschultz, David A. Wilder, Amy Enderli Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Developing and demonstrating inhibitory stimulus control over repetitive behavior
Developing inhibitory stimulus control over repetitive behavior minimizes the social and learning disruptions caused by this behavior while allowing individuals to continue to access this source of reinforcement at nonproblematic times. These procedures involve allowing repetitive behaviors to occur in some stimulus conditions (S+) and blocking the repetitive behavior in order to disrupt the response–reinforcer relation in other stimulus conditions (S‐) such that the onset of the S‐ period results in rapid and sustained reductions in repetitive behavior. However, the demonstration of stimulus control exerted by the S...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - January 31, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Jeffrey H. Tiger, Brittany C. Wierzba, Wayne W. Fisher, Brittany B. Benitez Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
An investigation of the matrix training approach to teach social play skills
Matrix training is a conceptual model inspired by the generative learning approach to program development. This investigation used matrix training to facilitate a generative repertoire of two‐component solitary and social play skills in a child diagnosed with autism and cerebral palsy. Play‐related actions and corresponding toys were aligned on perpendicular axes of a standard matrix. The learner was trained on the skills that intersected along the diagonal of the matrix. The learner acquired both appropriate solitary and social play skills. The participant also began requesting items from a peer despite not having bee...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - January 31, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Emily R. Wilson, Byron Wine, Katie Fitterer Tags: BRIEF REPORT Source Type: research
Examination of variables that affect the efficacy of instructive feedback
Instructive feedback is a procedure in which additional, nontarget stimuli are presented during instructional trials for students with a wide array of disabilities. This preliminary investigation examined whether participant behavior during instructive feedback, including attending and echoic behavior, altered the efficacy of instructive feedback for 2 children with autism. Results showed that participant behavior during instructive feedback related to training outcomes for both participants and treatment modifications based on participant behavior influenced acquisition. Future directions of research and implications for ...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - January 31, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Shaji S. Haq, Patricia K. Zemantic, Tiffany Kodak, Brittany LeBlanc, Traci E. Ruppert Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Evaluation of an arm ‐splint belt to reduce self‐injury
After a functional analysis yielded undifferentiated results, a subsequent assessment suggested self‐injury exhibited by a young boy with autism was sensitive to physical restraint. Canvas arm splints with metal stays were initially effective to reduce self‐injury. Although we successfully faded the number of stays in each sleeve to 3, self‐injury reemerged. We then used a withdrawal design to evaluate a behind‐the‐back belt connected to the arm splints. When the belt and splints were on, self‐injury did not occur. When the belt was removed, self‐injury increased, even though the splints remained intact. Fina...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - January 31, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Andrew C. Morgan, David A. Wilder, Christopher A. Podlesnik, Michael E. Kelley Tags: BRIEF REPORT Source Type: research
Auditory script location does not affect acquisition and maintenance of vocal initiations by children with autism
The present study evaluated whether two different locations of auditory scripts, relative to target discriminative stimuli, affected acquisition and maintenance of initiations of vocal interactions by four boys with autism or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. An alternating‐treatments design with an initial baseline was used. Button‐activated recording devices used to play the scripts were placed either on target stimuli or held behind the participants' heads to initiate interactions about a variety of toys. After scripts and the devices were faded, the frequency of initiations emitted was great...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - October 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Emily E. Gallant, Sharon A. Reeve, Kevin J. Brothers, Kenneth F. Reeve Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Teaching children with autism to follow gaze shift: A brief report on three cases
This study evaluated the extent to which prompting and reinforcement increased three participants' correct selections of items following a therapist's gaze shift using a non‐concurrent multiple baseline design for two participants and an ABCD design for one participant. Results show that each participant learned to discriminate an adult's gaze direction to make a correct selection and each participant's responding generalized to selections with non‐reinforcing stimuli. Two participants also displayed the skill during probe sessions with their parents; however, the third participant required tangible reinforcement for c...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - October 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Kristin V. Gunby, John T. Rapp, Melissa M. Bottoni, Nancy Marchese, Benjamin Wu Tags: BRIEF REPORT Source Type: research
Teaching young children to make accurate portion size estimations using a stimulus equivalence paradigm
The prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents has increased over the past four decades. Obesity can be conceptualized as a problem related to energy balance, where more energy is consumed than is expended through physical activity. One way that children may have a positive energy balance is through the overconsumption of foods (i.e., eating large portion sizes). Therefore, interventions that teach children to make accurate portion size estimations may be important to maintain overall health. In the current study, seven children between the ages of 4 and 7 years were taught to make accurate portion size estimati...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - October 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Nicole L. Hausman, John C. Borrero, Alyssa Fisher, SungWoo Kahng Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Examination of a Multi ‐Element Intervention on College Students' Electricity Consumption in On‐Campus Housing
Use of electricity is a significant contributor to climate change. Results from several studies have demonstrated short‐term success but long‐term success is rarely assessed, and weather is rarely measured despite its effects on energy use. We evaluated the long‐term effects of a multi‐element intervention package including visual prompts, feedback, and incentives on energy usage in two sorority houses over two years (four semesters) using a multiple baseline with reversal design while also accounting for weather fluctuations over that time period. Although daily graphs suggested intervention houses reduced their r...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - October 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Nicole R. Schultz, Carolynn S. Kohn, Alyssa Musto Tags: Brief Report Source Type: research
Using Prediction and Desensitization Techniques to Treat Dental Anxiety: A Case Example
Although professional dental care prevents many medical issues such as periodontal disease and tooth decay, dental anxiety among individuals with significant disabilities frequently prevents receipt of adequate dental care. Furthermore, although research documents the positive effects of interventions designed to decrease dental anxiety, there is a paucity of research on their effectiveness with this group. This case study examined the efficacy of a two‐component dental treatment package on improving a young boy's patient behavior during routine dental examinations. Results indicate overall improvements in participant be...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - October 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Victoria McMullen, Stephanie L. Mahfood, Grace L. Francis, James Bubenik Tags: Brief Report Source Type: research
Issue Information
No abstract is available for this article. (Source: Behavioral Interventions)
Source: Behavioral Interventions - October 27, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Tags: Issue Information Source Type: research
The Functional Independence of Skinner's Verbal Operants: Conceptual and Applied Implications
Much has been said about B. F. Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior. This commentary specifically focuses on the functional independence of B. F. Skinner's verbal operants. While researchers have long been interested in this topic, the research literature on this topic has produced mixed results; it has shown that the verbal operants may be both functionally independent and functionally interdependent. This commentary considers the conceptual and applied implications of these mixed findings. The distinction between constructs and events is highlighted, with specific attention to how this distinction relates to the conside...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - October 12, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Mitch J. Fryling Tags: Literature Review Source Type: research
