Effects of Video Modeling and Feedback on Mothers' Implementation of Peer‐to‐Peer Manding
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit deficits in appropriate requesting such as manding to peers. Experiment 1 used feedback and modeling to train three mothers to increase manding between three children with ASD and their typical siblings or peers. Video modeling and feedback increased the mother's correct implementation of the treatment but a causal relation was not established over the children's manding. Experiment 2 aimed to address the lack of functional control observed in the children's data using a partial component analysis. For one of the children there was a functional relation between the mater...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - April 1, 2015 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Maya S. Madzharova, Peter Sturmey Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Blending to Treat Expulsion in a Child with Food Refusal
The current study examined the effect of blending established foods and non‐preferred foods to treat expulsions in a three‐year‐old girl with food refusal and gastrostomy‐tube dependence. Treatment involving differential reinforcement of acceptance, non‐removal of the spoon, and re‐presentation increased consumption of 12 out of the 16 pureed foods; however, high levels of expulsion of four foods continued to disrupt meals. Results showed reduced rates of expulsion and increased mouth clean during blending, evaluated empirically using an ABAB design. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Source: Behavioral Interventions)
Source: Behavioral Interventions - April 1, 2015 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: William G. Sharp, Ashley Trumbull, Roseanne Lesack Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Observational Effects on Preference Selection for Four Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Replication
In this study, we used an observational conditioning procedure to switch the preference of items for four individuals diagnosed with autism who are considered lower functioning. The procedure consisted of the participant observing an adult playing with toys that were initially non‐preferred by the participant in a functional and engaging manner. For two participants, results were similar to the findings by Leaf; one participant required additional conditioning procedures, and we were unable to switch the preference for the other participant. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Source: Behavioral Interventions)
Source: Behavioral Interventions - April 1, 2015 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Justin B. Leaf, Alyne Kassardjian, Misty L. Oppenheim‐Leaf, Kathleen H. Tsuji, Stephanie Dale, Aditt Alcalay, Jeremy A. Leaf, Daniel Ravid, Christine Miline, Ronald Leaf, Mitchell Taubman, John McEachin Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Evaluating the Emergence of Reverse Intraverbals Following Intraverbal Training in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
The purpose of the proposed study was to replicate and extend prior research on intraverbal training by evaluating whether teaching sets of original and reverse intraverbals from the same category (e.g., animal sounds) would result in the emergence of novel, reverse intraverbals. Three children with autism spectrum disorder participated in the study. We used a multiple baseline across categories design with a constant‐series control to evaluate the effects of training original and reverse intraverbals on subsequent trained and untrained reverse intraverbals. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Source: Behavioral Interventions)
Source: Behavioral Interventions - April 1, 2015 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Nitasha R. Dickes, Tiffany Kodak Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
The Effects of Using a Conditioned Stimulus to Cue DRO Schedules
A reversal design was used to examine the effects of a differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) procedure and the presence of a stimulus (i.e., a bracelet), conditioned via discrimination training, on reducing socially maintained non‐contextual vocalizations in an adolescent girl with autism. Initially, a functional analysis determined that non‐contextual vocalizations were maintained by social attention. Then, discrimination training was used to establish the presence of the bracelet as a discriminative stimulus for the absence of vocalizations. Specifically, when the bracelet was on, non‐contextual vocali...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - April 1, 2015 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Kelly A. Della Rosa, Danielle Fellman, Cortney DeBiase, Jaime A. DeQuinzio, Bridget A. Taylor Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Use of a Side Deposit to Increase Consumption in Children with Food Refusal
Research has shown that nonremoval of the spoon and physical guidance procedures can be effective in treating active food refusal (e.g., head turning and spoon pushing) and increasing food consumption. These procedures alone may not be effective in treating more passive food refusal (e.g., sitting still without opening mouth). We defined and evaluated the use of a side deposit procedure using a reversal design. Results showed that this procedure, when added to a treatment package including other components (e.g., nonremoval of the spoon and physical guidance), was effective in increasing food consumption and treating passi...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - February 1, 2015 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Emily K. Rubio, Carrie S. W. Borrero, Tessa Taylor Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Sensory Integration as a Treatment for Automatically Maintained Stereotypy
According to sensory integration (SI) theory, many symptoms of autism are caused by an inability to integrate and adaptively respond to sensory input. Despite little evidence supporting SI, this form of therapy is a popular treatment for children with autism. Should these treatments work, they should be most effective for behavior maintained by sensory consequences (automatically maintained). SI activities may make these sensory consequences less reinforcing. The purpose of this study was to determine whether SI treatments could reduce automatically‐maintained stereotypy. Five individuals with autism participated. An occ...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - February 1, 2015 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Keira M. Moore, Catia Cividini‐Motta, Kathy M. Clark, William H. Ahearn Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Reinforcer variation in a token economy
We evaluated whether generalized conditioned reinforcers mitigate the effects of satiation with an individual with intellectual disabilities. Previous research indicates that generalized conditioned reinforcers are not sensitive to satiation effects. However, this effect has not been investigated on varying classes of backup reinforcers. First, we established a highly preferred (HP) edible as a reinforcer. Then, we provided presession access to the HP edible, and, in a multi‐element comparison, the participant could either earn tokens for only the HP edible, for edibles that were similar to the HP edible, for edibles tha...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - January 20, 2015 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Jessica L. Becraft, Natalie U. Rolider Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Using international videoconferencing to provide staff training on functional behavioral assessment
Videoconferencing has been successfully implemented to teach functional analysis (FA) procedures to service providers who support individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the acquisition of the competencies for implementing FA methodology for special education teachers after participation in a group‐format workshop via a videoconferencing program in which the training site and the remote site were located on different continents, connected through the internet. Four special education teachers in Saudi Arabia who did not have previous exposure to functional behavior asse...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - November 1, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Faisal Mohammad Alnemary, Michele Wallace, Jennifer B. G. Symon, Leasha M. Barry Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Stimulus fading and response elaboration in differential reinforcement for alternative behavior
In this study, we evaluated the extent to which a stimulus fading program could be employed to elaborate alternative behavior (mands) in two individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. For both participants, problem behavior was reduced substantially upon implementation of the DRA procedure. Further, problem behavior rates remained low and mand rates decreased to more practical levels as the DRA behavioral requirements increased during the fading program. The fading approach demonstrated in this paper may be a useful component of intervention packages for clinicians. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - November 1, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Kevin J. Schlichenmeyer, William V. Dube, Mariela Vargas‐Irwin Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Reducing ambiguity in the functional assessment of problem behavior
Severe problem behavior (e.g., self‐injury and aggression) remains among the most serious challenges for the habilitation of persons with intellectual disabilities and is a significant obstacle to community integration. The current standard of behavior analytic treatment for problem behavior in this population consists of a functional assessment and treatment model. Within that model, the first step is to assess the behavior–environment relations that give rise to and maintain problem behavior, a functional behavioral assessment. Conventional methods of assessing behavioral function include indirect, descriptive, and...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - November 1, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Griffin W. Rooker, Iser G. DeLeon, Carrie S. W. Borrero, Michelle A. Frank‐Crawford, Eileen M. Roscoe Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Translating the qabf to spanish with an eye toward reliability and validity
We developed a Spanish‐language version of the Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF) utilizing a forward‐adaptation and back‐adaptation translation process. Subsequently, we administered the assessment with 80 bilingual participants to assess the reliability and validity of the instrument. Results demonstrated that the Spanish version of the QABF was both reliable (i.e., was internally consistent) and valid (i.e., identified the correct function). Implications and future research are discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Source: Behavioral Interventions)
Source: Behavioral Interventions - September 22, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Michele D. Wallace, Cristina M. Vega, Anthony Hernandez Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Brief (test‐control) functional analysis and treatment evaluation of aggressive behavior evoked by divided attention
We measured the effects of divided attention on the aggressive behavior of a 20‐year‐old man within a test‐control functional analysis (FA; Iwata, B. A., Duncan, B. A., Zarcone, J. R., Lerman, D. C., & Shore, B. A. (1994). A sequential, test‐control methodology for conducting functional analyses of self‐injurious behavior. Behavior Modification, 18, 289–306). The FA confirmed that divided attention was associated with high‐frequency aggression and aggression‐contingent attention from a familiar and preferred staff person. A subsequent treatment evaluation confirmed that aggression decreased when the man...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - August 13, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Craig Strohmeier, Gary M. Pace, James K. Luiselli Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Assessment of therapists' preferences for discontinuous measurement systems
Recent studies have evaluated the sensitivity of discontinuous recording methods for detecting behavior changes; however, relatively few have evaluated observers' preferences for such methods. To address this limitation, this study used a concurrent chains design to evaluate eight therapists' preferences for collecting data using momentary time sampling (MTS) and partial interval recording with interval sizes of 10 s and 1 min. Results of the preference assessment showed that six of the eight therapists preferred to collect data using 1‐min MTS; however, results of a follow‐up questionnaire suggest that most therap...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - August 5, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Lysianne D. Kolt, John T. Rapp Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
Effects of video modeling on teaching bids for joint attention to children with autism
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of video modeling to teach children with autism to initiate bids for joint attention. The video model consisted of a child demonstrating three components of a bid for joint attention with an adult conversational partner: orienting toward the object, emitting a vocal statement, and eye gaze shift toward unique objects in the environment. Results indicated that video modeling alone was effective in teaching all components of joint attention for two of the three children, whereas video modeling plus in vivo prompting was effective for the third participant. Further, bids f...
Source: Behavioral Interventions - July 1, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Nikki A. Rudy, Alison M. Betz, Evadne Malone, Justine E. Henry, Ivy M. Chong Tags: Research Article Source Type: research
