bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SLEEP DEPRIVATION, ALLERGY SYMPTOMS, AND NEGATIVELY REINFORCED PROBLEM BEHAVIOR
Authors: Kennedy Craig H. , Meyer Kim A.
Published: March 2006

We studied the relation between the presence versus the absence of sleep deprivation or allergy symptoms and the rate and function of problem behavior. Three students whose problem behavior was negatively reinforced by escape from instruction were studied across several weeks using analogue functional analyses. Our results indicated that the extraexperimental events were associated with (a) termination of instruction functioning as a negative reinforcer, (b) increased rates of negatively reinforced problem behavior, or (c) increased rates of problem behavior across all conditions.
A PRELIMINARY PROCEDURE FOR PREDICTING THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF REINFORCEMENT‐BASED PROCEDURES
Authors: Piazza Cathleen C. , Fisher Wayne W. , Hanley Gregory P. , Hilker Kellie , Derby K. Mark
Published: March 2006

In the current investigation, a modification was made to the preference assessment described by Pace, Ivancic, Edwards, Iwata, and Page (1985) to predict the effects of stimuli when used in a differential‐reinforcement‐of‐other‐behavior (DRO) schedule for 2 clients with severe self‐injurious behavior (SIB) and profound mental retardation. Based on the results of the preference assessment, three types of stimuli were identified: (a) high‐preference stimuli associated with high rates of SIB (HP/HS), (b) high‐preference stimuli associated with relatively lower rates of SIB (HP/LS), and (c) low‐preference stimuli associated with low rates of SIB (LP/LS). Consistent with the results of the preference assessment, the DRO schedule with HP/HS stimuli resulted in increased SIB, and the DRO schedule with LP/LS stimuli resulted in no changes in SIB. HP/LS stimuli were demonstrated reinforcers but did not result in a change in SIB when used in a DRO schedule. Thus, the stimulus preference assessment may be useful clinically in some situations for predicting both the beneficial and the negative side effects of stimuli in DRO procedures.
INCREASING SELF‐DETERMINATION: TEACHING PEOPLE WITH MENTAL RETARDATION TO EVALUATE RESIDENTIAL OPTIONS
Authors: Faw Gerald D. , Davis Paula K. , Peck Craig
Published: March 2006

The community living preferences of 4 institutionalized adults with mild mental retardation were identified using photographs that depicted a variety of residential characteristics. Individuals then were taught to obtain information regarding their preferences during tours of community group homes, to report that information to their social worker, and to evaluate the homes based on the information obtained. A multiple baseline across participants design showed that all 4 participants substantially increased their skills at asking questions, reporting information, and evaluating homes. The results indicate that people with mental retardation can take an active role in major lifestyle decisions that others have typically made for them.
THE TREATMENT OF COVERT SELF‐INJURY THROUGH CONTINGENCIES ON RESPONSE PRODUCTS
Authors: Grace Nancy C. , Thompson Rachel , Fisher Wayne W.
Published: March 2006

Assessment and treatment of covert self‐injurious behavior are complicated because it is difficult to quantify and apply differential consequences to covert responses. In this study, both tangible and social reinforcers were identified using reinforcer assessment methods. These reinforcers were then provided contingent upon the absence of tissue damage identified during physical examinations, resulting in near 100% success in physical assessment checks that was maintained over 10 months.
FEED THE HUNGRY BEE: USING POSITIVE PEER REPORTS TO IMPROVE THE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND ACCEPTANCE OF A SOCIALLY REJECTED GIRL IN RESIDENTIAL CARE
Authors: Ervin Ruth A. , Miller Peg M. , Friman Patrick C.
Published: March 2006

We studied how rewarding peers for publicly reporting positive aspects of a socially rejected girl's behavior affected her social interactions and acceptance. The results indicated that positive peer reports reduced negative social interactions (to near zero) and increased positive interactions (to above 70%). In addition, social acceptance ratings of the girl increased from pre‐ to postintervention.
AN ALTERNATING TREATMENTS COMPARISON OF TWO INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS FOR FOOD REFUSAL
Authors: Ahearn William H. , Kerwin MaryLouise E. , Eicher Peggy S. , Shantz Jocelyn , Swearingin Wendy
Published: March 2006

We compared two treatment packages involving negative reinforcement contingencies for 3 children with chronic food refusal. One involved physically guiding the child to accept food contingent on noncompliance, whereas the other involved nonremoval of the spoon until the child accepted the presented food. Subsequent to baseline, an alternating treatments comparison was implemented in a multiple baseline design across subjects. After each child had been exposed to at least nine sessions of each treatment condition and percentage of bites accepted had increased to at least 80%, the child's caregivers selected the preferred treatment package. The results indicated that both treatments were effective in establishing food acceptance. However, physical guidance was associated with fewer corollary behaviors, shorter meal durations, and parental preference.
THE ACCELERATED INTAKE: A METHOD FOR INCREASING INITIAL ATTENDANCE TO OUTPATIENT COCAINE TREATMENT
Authors: Festinger David S. , Lamb R. J. , Kirby Kimberly C. , Marlowe Douglas B.
Published: March 2006

We examined whether offering an accelerated (same‐day) versus a standard (1‐ to 7‐day delay) intake appointment increased initial attendance at an outpatient cocaine treatment program. Significantly more of the subjects who were offered an accelerated intake (59%) attended than those who were given a standard intake (33%), χ2 (2, N = 78) = 4.198, p < .05. The accelerated intake procedure appears to be useful for enhancing enrollment in outpatient addiction treatment.
EFFECTS OF RESPONSE CARDS DURING LESSON CLOSURE ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY STUDENTS IN AN EARTH SCIENCE COURSE
Authors: Cavanaugh Rodney A. , Heward William L. , Donelson Fred
Published: March 2006

This study evaluated the effects of two review techniques on secondary students' recall of science lesson content: (a) an active review condition in which students used response cards to answer questions, and (b) a passive review condition in which students looked and listened while the teacher projected and read key lesson points. Scores on next‐day and weekly tests were higher on lesson content reviewed with response cards.
NAMING, THE FORMATION OF STIMULUS CLASSES, AND APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS
Authors: Stromer Robert , Mackay Harry A. , Remington Bob
Published: March 2006

The methods used in Sidman's original studies on equivalence classes provide a framework for analyzing functional verbal behavior. Sidman and others have shown how teaching receptive, name‐referent matching may produce rudimentary oral reading and word comprehension skills. Eikeseth and Smith (1992) have extended these findings by showing that children with autism may acquire equivalence classes after learning to supply a common oral name to each stimulus in a potential class. A stimulus class analysis suggests ways to examine (a) the problem of programming generalization from teaching situations to other environments, (b) the expansion of the repertoires that occur in those settings, and (c) the use of naming to facilitate these forms of generalization. Such research will help to clarify and extend Horne and Lowe's recent (1996) account of the role of verbal behavior in the formation of stimulus classes.
FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS AND TREATMENT OF CIGARETTE PICA
Authors: Piazza Cathleen C. , Hanley Gregory P. , Fisher Wayne W.
Published: March 2006

A series of analyses was conducted to assess and treat the pica of cigarette butts by a young man with mental retardation and autism. First, we demonstrated that pica was maintained in a condition with no social consequences when the available cigarettes contained nicotine but not when the cigarettes contained herbs without nicotine. Second, a choice assessment (Fisher et al., 1992) confirmed that tobacco was preferred over the other components of the cigarette (e.g., paper, filter, etc.). Third, an analogue functional analysis (Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, & Richman, 1982/1994) demonstrated that cigarette pica was maintained independent of social consequences. Fourth, a treatment designed to interrupt the hypothesized response—reinforcer relationship reduced consumption of cigarettes to zero. Finally, because cigarette pica occurred primarily when the individual was alone or under minimal supervision, a procedure based on stimulus control was developed to improve the effectiveness of the intervention in these situations.
THE MOMENTUM OF COMPLIANCE
Authors: Nevin John A.
Published: March 2006

Compliance with demanding requests that are normally ineffective may be increased by presenting a series of easy or high‐probability (high‐p) requests before the more demanding requests. Mace and his colleagues have discussed the effectiveness of the high‐p procedure in relation to behavioral momentum—the tendency for behavior, once initiated and reinforced, to persist in the face of a challenge. The high‐p procedure differs in several ways from that employed in laboratory research on momentum, and the methods and findings of basic research may not be relevant to applied work on compliance. This article reviews some laboratory procedures used in research on behavioral momentum, summarizes the major findings of that research, and discusses its relevance to the high‐p procedure and its outcomes. Increased compliance with demanding requests following the high‐p procedure can be understood in relation to the procedures and findings of basic research, but some questions arise in the process of translating research into application via the metaphor of momentum. These questions suggest some new directions for both experimental and applied behavior analysis.
IN PURSUIT OF GENERAL BEHAVIORAL RELATIONS
Authors: Mace F. Charles
Published: March 2006

Efforts to develop behavioral technologies from advances in basic research assume that results from studies with nonhuman subjects can, in some instances, be applied to human behavior. The behavioral principles likely to be most useful for application are those that represent robust general behavioral relations. Basic and applied research on behavioral momentum suggests that there is a general behavioral relation between the persistence of behavior and the rate of reinforcement obtained in a given situation. Understanding the factors that affect behavioral persistence may have important implications for applied behavior analysts that justify studies aimed at establishing the generality and limits of the functional relation between reinforcement rate and behavioral persistence. Strategies for establishing the generality of behavioral relations are reviewed, followed by a brief summary of the evidence for the generality of behavioral momentum.
DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT OF ALTERNATIVE BEHAVIOR AND DEMAND FADING IN THE TREATMENT OF ESCAPE‐MAINTAINED DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR
Authors: Piazza Cathleen C. , Moes Doug R. , Fisher Wayne W.
Published: March 2006

The escape‐maintained destructive behavior of a boy with autism was reduced during instructional sequences with differential reinforcement of compliance (DRA), escape extinction without physical guidance, and demand fading. The procedure decreased destructive behaviors to near‐zero levels and greatly increased compliance.
A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF PRIOR CLASSROOM CONDITIONS ON PERFORMANCE UNDER ANALOGUE ANALYSIS CONDITIONS
Authors: O'Reilly Mark F. , Carey Yvonne
Published: March 2006

We systematically manipulated two prior classroom conditions to explore their effects on performance under analogue assessments for a 7‐year‐old girl with severe intellectual disabilities who exhibited aggressive behavior. Results demonstrated consistently higher levels of aggression during demand analogue conditions when they were preceded by one of the classroom conditions.
THE EFFECTS OF MEAL SCHEDULE AND QUANTITY ON PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR
Authors: Wacker David P. , Harding Jay , Cooper Linda J. , Derby K. Mark , Peck Stephanie , Asmus Jennifer , Berg Wendy K. , Brown Kimberly A.
Published: March 2006

We present 2 case examples that illustrate the effects of meal schedule and quantity on displays of problematic behavior. In the first example, self‐injury displayed by a toddler with severe developmental delays was maintained by parent attention, but only when he was satiated for food. When he was food deprived, self‐injury decreased but did not appear to be differentiated across low or high social conditions. In the second example, crying and self‐injury displayed by an elementary‐aged girl with severe disabilities were correlated: Both behaviors were associated with food quantity, and neither behavior was responsive to social stimuli. These results replicate and extend previous findings demonstrating that meal schedule or food quantity can affect problematic behavior. In the present studies, brief functional analyses of aberrant behavior provided useful information for interpreting distinct patterns of behavior displayed by each child. We discuss these results in terms of the concept of establishing operations.
SELF‐RESTRAINT AS POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT FOR SELF‐INJURIOUS BEHAVIOR
Authors: Smith Richard G. , Lerman Dorothea C. , Iwata Brian A.
Published: March 2006

Many individuals who engage in self‐injurious behavior (SIB) also exhibit self‐restraint. We compared rates of SIB exhibited by a 32‐year‐old woman diagnosed with profound retardation across conditions in which access to restraint was (a) continuously available, (b) presented as a consequence for SIB, or (c) unavailable. Rates of SIB increased when access to restraint was contingent upon SIB and decreased when restraint was unavailable, suggesting that self‐restraint functioned as positive reinforcement for SIB.
DIRECT AND COLLATERAL EFFECTS OF RESTRAINTS AND RESTRAINT FADING
Authors: Fisher Wayne W. , Piazza Cathleen C. , Bowman Lynn G. , Hanley Gregory P. , Adelinis John D.
Published: March 2006

Mechanical restraints are commonly used to reduce the risks associated with severe self‐injurious behavior (SIB), but may result in movement restriction and adverse side effects (e.g., bone demineralization). Restraint fading may provide a method for decreasing SIB while increasing movement and reducing these side effects. In the current investigation, rigid arm sleeves and restraint fading (gradually reducing the rigidity of the sleeves) were used with 3 clients who engaged in hand‐to‐head SIB. Restraints and fading reduced the hand‐to‐head SIB of all clients. However, for 1 client, the addition of a water mist procedure further reduced SIB to near‐zero levels. For a 2nd client, another form of SIB developed that was not prevented by the rigid sleeves. For a 3rd client, a topography of SIB that was not physically prevented by the rigid sleeves was also reduced when restraints and fading were introduced.
FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF EPISODIC SELF‐INJURY CORRELATED WITH RECURRENT OTITIS MEDIA
Authors: O'Reilly Mark F.
Published: March 2006

A functional analysis examined the consequences that maintained episodic self‐injury and the relationship between those consequences and otitis media for a child with moderate developmental disabilities. Results indicated that self‐injury occurred only during periods of otitis media. Otitis media may have served as an establishing operation related to escape from ambient noise.
USING SELF‐MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES TO IMPROVE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES IN A COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT SETTING
Authors: Christian LeeAnn , Poling Alan
Published: March 2006

This study describes the use of self‐management procedures, similar to those proposed by Lagomarcino, Hughes, and Rusch (1989), to improve the productivity of 2 women with mild mental retardation who worked in restaurants. Substantial improvements were observed as a function of treatment, and the procedures were deemed acceptable by the participants, their coworkers, and their supervisors.
A RAPID METHOD FOR EVALUATING THE NECESSITY FOR BOTH A BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION AND METHYLPHENIDATE
Authors: Kayser Krista H. , Wacker David P. , Derby K. Mark , Andelman Marc S. , Golonka Zbigniew , Stoner Elizabeth A.
Published: March 2006

We examined the effects of a behavioral intervention and methylphenidate (MPH) on inappropriate behavior and sleep disturbance displayed by a 6‐year‐old boy who had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Results showed that the behavioral intervention was effective in reducing inappropriate behaviors to near‐zero levels regardless of the presence or absence of MPH.
EFFECTS OF INTERMITTENT PUNISHMENT ON SELF‐INJURIOUS BEHAVIOR: AN EVALUATION OF SCHEDULE THINNING
Authors: Lerman Dorothea C. , Iwata Brian A. , Shore Bridget A. , DeLeon Iser G.
Published: March 2006

Although the use of punishment often raises ethical issues, such procedures may be needed when the reinforcers that maintain behavior cannot be identified or controlled, or when competing reinforcers cannot be found. Results of several studies on the effects of intermittent schedules of punishment suggest that therapists must use fairly rich schedules of punishment to suppress problem behavior. However, residential caretakers, teachers, and parents often have difficulty implementing programs that require constant monitoring of the client's behavior. In this study, we examined the feasibility of gradually thinning the delivery of punishment from a continuous schedule to an intermittent schedule during the course of treatment for self‐injurious behavior (SIB). Results of functional analyses for 5 individuals who had been diagnosed with profound mental retardation indicated that their SIB was not maintained by social consequences. Treatment with continuous schedules of time‐out (for 1 participant) or contingent restraint (for the other 4 participants) produced substantial reductions in SIB. When they were exposed to intermittent schedules of punishment (fixed‐interval [FI] 120 s or FI 300 s), SIB for all but 1 of the participants increased to levels similar to those observed during baseline. For these 4 participants, the schedule of punishment was gradually thinned from continuous to FI 120 s or FI 300 s. For 2 participants, SIB remained low across the schedule changes, demonstrating the utility of thinning from continuous to intermittent schedules of punishment. Results for the other 2 participants showed that intermittent punishment was ineffective, despite repeated attempts to thin the schedule.
INCREASING INDICES OF HAPPINESS AMONG PEOPLE WITH PROFOUND MULTIPLE DISABILITIES: A PROGRAM REPLICATION AND COMPONENT ANALYSIS
Authors: Green Carolyn W. , Gardner Shirley M. , Reid Dennis H.
Published: March 2006

We replicated a program to increase indices of happiness among people with profound multiple disabilities and conducted a component analysis of the program. The program involved presentation and contingent withdrawal of stimuli that had been identified as preferred based on preference assessments and staff opinion. The program was implemented with 3 adult students and was accompanied by increased happiness indices for each student. Subsequent implementation of the two types of stimuli indicated that preferred stimuli based on preference assessments were more consistently accompanied by increased happiness indices than were preferred stimuli based on staff opinion. Social validity measures supported the definition of happiness, in that raters' subjective opinions of the students' happiness coincided with the observed happiness indices. Results are discussed regarding the importance and practical implications of using preference assessments for determining stimuli for increasing happiness indices. Future research areas are suggested, focusing on increasing happiness and other quality‐of‐life indicators during the daily routines of people with profound disabilities.
NONCONTINGENT PRESENTATION OF ATTENTION AND ALTERNATIVE STIMULI IN THE TREATMENT OF ATTENTION‐MAINTAINED DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR
Authors: Hanley Gregory P. , Piazza Cathleen C. , Fisher Wayne W.
Published: March 2006

Previous research has demonstrated that destructive behavior may be reduced through noncontingent presentation of attention when attention is identified as the stimulus responsible for behavioral maintenance. Because it may not always be possible to deliver attention in all situations, we examined the extent to which alternative stimuli that have been identified through a choice assessment would substitute for attention (the functional analysis—based reinforcer) in a noncontingent reinforcement procedure. Prior to treatment, functional analyses demonstrated that the destructive behavior of 2 clients with mental retardation was maintained by adult attention. Next, a stimulus choice assessment identified highly preferred tangible items for the 2 clients. Finally, we compared the effectiveness of two noncontingent reinforcement procedures: continuous noncontingent access to attention and continuous noncontingent access to the tangible item identified in the choice assessment. For both clients, these noncontingent reinforcement procedures reduced destructive behavior. The results are discussed in terms of the clinical implications for the treatment of destructive behavior using functional and alternative stimuli.
NONCONTINGENT DELIVERY OF ARBITRARY REINFORCERS AS TREATMENT FOR SELF‐INJURIOUS BEHAVIOR
Authors: Fischer Sonya M. , Iwata Brian A. , Mazaleski Jodi L.
Published: March 2006

Results of recent research have shown that noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) can be effective in reducing the frequency of behavior problems. In typical NCR applications, the reinforcer that is responsible for behavioral maintenance (as demonstrated through a functional analysis) no longer follows occurrences of the target behavior but instead is delivered according to a time‐based schedule. Thus, it is unclear if NCR would be effective if the target behavior continued to be reinforced or if arbitrary reinforcers (i.e., those irrelevant to behavioral maintenance) were substituted for the maintaining reinforcers in the NCR procedure. In this study, 2 individuals whose self‐injurious behavior (SIB) was maintained by positive reinforcement were exposed to conditions in which arbitrary and maintaining reinforcers were withheld and were delivered either contingently or noncontingently. Results indicated that noncontingent delivery of arbitrary reinforcers was effective in reducing SIB even though occurrences of SIB produced access to the maintaining reinforcer. These results suggest that (a) arbitrary reinforcers may sometimes be substituted for maintaining reinforcers, (b) an important component of NCR procedures is alteration of a behavior's establishing operation, and (c) NCR with arbitrary reinforcers might therefore be effective when maintaining reinforcers cannot be identified or withheld during the course of treatment.
EVALUATION OF THE “CONTROL OVER REINFORCEMENT” COMPONENT IN FUNCTIONAL COMMUNICATION TRAINING
Authors: Kahng SungWoo , Iwata Brian A. , DeLeon Iser G. , Worsdell April S.
Published: March 2006

The effectiveness of functional communication training (FCT) as a treatment for behavior disorders has been attributed to a number of variables, one of which is the individual's ability to exert control over the delivery of reinforcement. We evaluated this component of FCT by exposing individuals to conditions in which their behavior either did or did not affect the delivery of reinforcement. Three adults with mental retardation who engaged in self‐injurious behavior (SIB) participated. Following a functional analysis of their SIB, the effects of FCT were compared to those of noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) in a multielement design. The amount of reinforcement during both conditions was equated by yoking the schedule of reinforcement during NCR sessions to that in effect during FCT sessions. Results indicated that FCT and NCR were equally effective in reducing the SIB of all participants and suggest that control over reinforcement delivery may not affect the degree to which FCT produces behavioral suppression. However, a different benefit of FCT was evident in the results: More consistent increases in the alternative response were observed during the FCT condition than during the NCR condition.
IDENTIFYING INSTRUCTIONAL TASKS THAT OCCASION PROBLEM BEHAVIORS AND ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF STUDENT VERSUS TEACHER CHOICE AMONG THESE TASKS
Authors: Vaughn Bobbie J. , Horner Robert H.
Published: March 2006

Levels of problem behavior were assessed when 4 students with severe disabilities received instruction on preferred versus nonpreferred tasks and when tasks of each type were chosen by the teacher rather than by the student. In Phase 1, interview and direct observation assessments were conducted to identify relative preferences for academic tasks. In Phase 2, the effects of these lower preference and higher preference tasks on the rate of problem behavior were evaluated using a multielement design. The results showed that lower preference tasks were associated with higher rates of problem behaviors and that students, when given a choice, consistently selected the tasks that had been identified through interview and direct observation as higher preference. In Phase 3, we assessed whether allowing the students to choose between pairs of lower preference tasks or between pairs of higher preference tasks reduced problem behavior relative to a condition in which the teacher selected the same tasks. For 2 of 4 students, the rates of problem behavior were lower when students (rather than the teacher) selected the lower preference activity. Higher preference tasks for 3 students were associated with relatively low rates of problem behavior regardless of whether the student or the teacher selected the task.
ATTENTION AS AN ESTABLISHING OPERATION AND AS REINFORCEMENT DURING FUNCTIONAL ANALYSES
Authors: Fischer Sonya M. , Iwata Brian A. , Worsdell April S.
Published: March 2006

Results of functional analyses for 36 individuals whose self‐injurious behavior (SIB) was maintained by attention indicated that SIB was highest during a condition in which the individual was deprived of attention (establishing operation) except as a consequence (reinforcer). Deprivation in the absence of reinforcement produced marginal increases in SIB in 5 individuals, and a relatively rich schedule of noncontingent attention produced the lowest levels of SIB. These results suggest that clearer functional analysis outcomes are likely to be obtained when test conditions contain both an establishing operation to evoke behavior as well as a reinforcement contingency to maintain it.
EFFECTS OF REINFORCEMENT CHOICE ON TASK RESPONDING IN INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
Authors: Lerman Dorothea C. , Iwata Brian A. , Rainville Beth , Adelinis John D. , Crosland Kimberly , Kogan Jeffrey
Published: March 2006

The effects of reinforcement choice on task performance were examined with 6 individuals who had been diagnosed with severe to profound mental retardation. Five highly preferred items were identified for each participant via stimulus preference assessments. Participants then were exposed to choice and no‐choice conditions that were alternated within reversal and multielement designs. During choice sessions, participants were permitted to select between two preferred stimuli contingent on responding. During no‐choice sessions, the therapist delivered a single item contingent on responding. Preference for the stimuli was held constant across conditions by yoking the items delivered during no‐choice sessions to those selected during the immediately preceding choice sessions. All participants exhibited similar rates of responding across choice and no‐choice conditions. These findings indicate that for individuals with severe disabilities, access to choice may not improve task performance when highly preferred items are already incorporated into instructional programs.
A RESPONSE‐RESTRICTION ANALYSIS OF STEREOTYPY IN ADOLESCENTS WITH MENTAL RETARDATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS
Authors: Mcentee Julie E. , Saunders Richard R.
Published: March 2006

The behavior of 4 adolescents with severe or profound mental retardation was evaluated in the presence of four sets of materials during periods of unstructured leisure activity. Functional engagement with the materials, stereotypic engagement with the materials, stereotypy without interaction with the materials, and other aberrant behaviors were recorded. Across a series of experimental conditions, the number of sets of materials was reduced from four to one by eliminating the set most frequently manipulated in each preceding condition. In the final condition, four sets of materials were again made available for manipulation. The procedures replicated Green and Striefel's (1988) response‐restriction analysis of the activity preferences and play behaviors of children with autism. In general, the results of the present experiment replicate those of Green and Striefel in that reallocation of responding was idiosyncratic and unpredictable as sets of materials were removed. Nevertheless, the results provided insight into how responding might be reallocated if it were restricted through behavioral interventions rather than by restriction of access. Thus, the results are discussed with respect to how response‐restriction analyses may be useful in identifying topographies of behavior that could be included in differential reinforcement contingencies that are designed to affect stereotypic behavior and in the selection and arrangement of environmental stimuli to minimize the presence of evokers of stereotypy.
THE LONG‐TERM EFFECTS OF FUNCTIONAL COMMUNICATION TRAINING IN HOME SETTINGS
Authors: Derby K. Mark , Wacker David P. , Berg Wendy , Deraad Agnes , Ulrich Sonya , Asmus Jennifer , Harding Jay , Prouty Anne , Laffey Peggy , Stoner Elizabeth A.
Published: March 2006

A four‐phase study was conducted in the homes of 4 young children who displayed aberrant behavior. Phases 1 and 2 consisted of a series of descriptive and experimental analyses to identify the environmental antecedents and consequences that controlled aberrant behavior. Phases 3 and 4 evaluated the short‐ and long‐term effects of treatment on aberrant behavior, target mands, and collateral (social and toy play) behaviors. The effects of treatment were monitored for up to 27 months to assess long‐term suppression of aberrant behavior. The assessment results successfully identified environmental events that occasioned and maintained aberrant behavior for all children. The short‐term treatment resulted in immediate decreases in aberrant behavior for 3 of 4 children. Long‐term treatment was successful for all children and was correlated with substantial response generalization. These results are interpreted in relation to functional equivalence, pivotal responding, and response generalization.
SKINNER AS SELF‐MANAGER
Authors: Epstein Robert
Published: March 2006

B. F. Skinner was a remarkably productive, creative, and happy individual, in large part because of his expertise in self‐management, a set of self‐change skills that derive to some extent from his own scientific and theoretical work. Skinner's ardent defense of determinism appears to conflict with his views on self‐control; although determinism can be reconciled with these views, we would be best served by dispensing with the “ism” and focusing instead on relevant data and data‐driven theories. Contemporary research on self‐control has diverged from Skinner's formulation in a number of ways, especially in focusing on cognition and choice. The extraordinary success Skinner had in applying self‐management principles to his life should inspire us to take a closer look at the potential value such principles may have for society.
EFFECTS OF REINFORCEMENT HISTORY AND INSTRUCTIONS ON THE PERSISTENCE OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
Authors: Martens Brian K. , Bradley Tracy A. , Eckert Tanya L.
Published: March 2006

We examined the effects of three reinforcement histories on the persistence of task engagement by 2 fourth‐grade students using a partially counterbalanced ABCDBCD design. In each condition, an experimenter made four student contacts during the first 2 min of each session (reinforcement baseline), followed by an 8‐min extinction period. The reinforcement history that contained an instructional control component produced the greatest persistence in student engagement. The applied relevance of instructional control is discussed.
PROGRAMMING GENERALIZATION OF SOCIAL SKILLS IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENTS
Authors: Ducharme Dell E. , Holborn Stephen W.
Published: March 2006

The efficacy of a social skills training package in producing stimulus generalization, both with and without the systematic application of generalization programming techniques, was evaluated with 5 preschool children with hearing impairments. The evaluation was conducted within a multiple baseline design. Generalization probes were conducted daily. The social skills training package was implemented in a training setting and produced high, stable rates of social interaction in that setting. However, generalization of the social skills to new teachers, peers, and play activities did not occur until generalization programming strategies were applied in the original training setting. Using sufficient stimulus exemplars and contacting natural consequences appeared to be the key strategies for promoting generalization of social interaction. In addition, the use of supplementary procedures (e.g., a fluency criterion and treatment integrity checks) may have contributed to stimulus generalization.
FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS AND TREATMENT OF ELOPEMENT
Authors: Piazza Cathleen C. , Hanley Gregory P. , Bowman Lynn G. , Ruyter John M. , Lindauer Steven E. , Saiontz Deborah M.
Published: March 2006

Elopement is a dangerous behavior because children who run away may encounter life‐threatening situations (e.g., traffic). We conducted functional analyses of the elopement of 3 children who had been diagnosed with developmental disabilities. The results identified a maintaining reinforcer for the elopement of 1 child, but the data were difficult to interpret for 2 of the children. Subsequent reinforcer assessments were used to help to clarify the reinforcers for elopement for these 2 children. Results of the functional analyses and reinforcer assessments then were used to develop successful treatments to reduce elopement. The findings are discussed in terms of (a) the application of functional analysis methodology to elopement, (b) the use of reinforcer assessments to identify potential reinforcers when standard functional analyses are undifferentiated, and (c) the utility of assessment‐based treatments for elopement.
EFFECTS OF IDIOSYNCRATIC STIMULUS VARIABLES ON FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OUTCOMES
Authors: Carr Edward G. , Yarbrough Scott C. , Langdon Nancy A.
Published: March 2006

As the methods for the functional analysis of problem behavior have continued to develop, there has been a greater focus on the specificity of controlling variables, both antecedents and consequences. Accelerating research interest in the role of antecedents reveals that a large array of stimulus variables can influence the rate of problem behavior. Indeed, the variety of these stimuli is so great that it is sometimes possible to overlook specific stimulus variables during initial assessment. The present study shows that a failure to identify these very specific (idiosyncratic) stimulus variables is serious because their presence can systematically alter the outcomes of functional analyses that are designed to assess the motivation of problem behavior. Guidelines are therefore discussed concerning when to suspect that idiosyncratic stimuli might be acting to influence assessment data, thereby promoting a search for additional stimulus variables whose identification can aid in improving the design of functional analysis conditions.
TEACHER USE OF INTERVENTIONS IN GENERAL EDUCATION SETTINGS: MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSIS OF THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
Authors: Witt Joseph C. , Noell George H. , Lafleur Lynn H. , Mortenson Bruce P.
Published: March 2006

This study examined the integrity with which 4 general education teachers implemented an intervention designed to improve the academic performance of elementary school students. Treatment integrity was measured daily using permanent products. The results showed that the 4 teachers markedly increased the integrity of the delivered treatment when they were provided with performance feedback. The results suggest that academic performance improved for the group of students as integrity improved.
NONDIRECTIVE PROMPTING AND NONCONTINGENT REINFORCEMENT IN THE TREATMENT OF DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR DURING HYGIENE ROUTINES
Authors: Piazza Cathleen C. , Contrucci Stephanie A. , Hanley Gregory P. , Fisher Wayne W.
Published: March 2006

The escape‐maintained destructive behavior of a girl with mental retardation persisted during hygiene routines with directive prompting, differential reinforcement for compliance, and extinction as treatment. Using nondirective prompting and noncontingent reinforcement, destructive behavior was reduced to near‐zero levels during the hygiene routine.
EDITORS AS AUTHORS: PUBLICATION TRENDS OF ARTICLES AUTHORED BY JABA EDITORS
Authors: Mathews R. Mark
Published: March 2006

Journal editors are gatekeepers; they review and shape the work of others, and influence the journal's direction and quality. They also contribute to the body of knowledge within a field as authors. The author role of editors of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis is described. Annual publication rates of the 55 former and current editors and associate editors are presented and discussed.
THE EFFECTS OF REINFORCEMENT RATE ON THE SPONTANEOUS SOCIAL INITIATIONS OF SOCIALLY WITHDRAWN PRESCHOOLERS
Authors: Zanolli Kathleen , Daggett Julie
Published: March 2006

Social skills priming was used to increase the spontaneous social initiations of 2 socially withdrawn preschoolers, 1 of whom had been diagnosed with autism. During priming sessions, the teacher prompted and reinforced social behaviors (e.g., smiling, verbal initiations). We varied the rate of reinforcement during priming sessions and measured the effects of this manipulation on the rate of spontaneous social initiations during the subsequent classroom activity. Spontaneous initiations were more frequent after high rates of reinforcement than after low rates of reinforcement.
EVALUATING A MORE COST‐EFFICIENT ALTERNATIVE TO PROVIDING IN‐HOME FEEDBACK TO PARENTS: THE USE OF SPOUSAL FEEDBACK
Authors: Harris Todd A. , Peterson Susan L. , Filliben Tammy L. , Glassberg Mindy , Favell Judith E.
Published: March 2006

We evaluated the contribution of spousal feedback to a parent education curriculum designed for parents of children with autism. A modified multiple baseline design across 3 husband‐and‐wife dyads was used to examine the effects of teaching parents to give each other feedback on their teaching performance. For 5 of 6 participants, improvement in teaching performance occurred following didactic presentations. However, additional improvement was observed for 5 participants when the spousal feedback component was implemented.
A BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION FOR IMPROVING VERBAL BEHAVIORS OF HEROIN ADDICTS IN A TREATMENT CLINIC
Authors: Petry Nancy M. , Bickel Warren K. , Tzanis Evan , Taylor Richard , Kubik Elizabeth , Foster Melissa , Hughes M. Elizabeth
Published: March 2006

Positively reinforcing appropriate behaviors improved verbal behaviors of opioid‐dependent patients in a buprenorphine treatment clinic. During B phases of an ABAB design, clients received stickers for engaging in appropriate verbal or nonverbal behaviors. Each sticker provided a chance of winning $25. No reinforcement was provided during the A phases. Appropriate verbal behaviors increased during reinforcement periods, and inappropriate verbal behaviors decreased.
SIMPLIFIED HABIT REVERSAL TREATMENT FOR CHRONIC HAIR PULLING IN THREE ADOLESCENTS: A CLINICAL REPLICATION WITH DIRECT OBSERVATION
Authors: Rapp John T. , Miltenberger Raymond G. , Long Ethan S. , Elliott Amy J. , Lumley Vicki A.
Published: March 2006

Three developmentally normal adolescents with chronic hair pulling were treated with a simplified habit reversal procedure consisting of awareness training, competing response training, and social support. Treatment resulted in an immediate reduction to near‐zero levels of hair pulling, with one to three booster sessions required to maintain these levels. The results were maintained from 18 to 27 weeks posttreatment, although 1 participant reported difficulty at follow‐up. The effectiveness of simplified habit reversal and suggestions for future research are discussed.
EFFECTS OF WRIST WEIGHTS ON SELF‐INJURIOUS AND ADAPTIVE BEHAVIORS
Authors: Hanley Gregory P. , Piazza Cathleen C. , Keeney Kris M. , Blakeley‐Smith Audrey B. , Worsdell April S.
Published: March 2006

The effects of wrist weights on the self‐injurious and adaptive behaviors of a young boy with profound mental retardation were evaluated. Application of wrist weights reduced SIB by 92% and was associated with either increases or stable levels of multiple novel and preexisting adaptive behaviors.
FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS AND TREATMENT OF DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR MAINTAINED BY TERMINATION OF “DON'T” (AND SYMMETRICAL “DO”) REQUESTS
Authors: Fisher Wayne W. , Adelinis John D. , Thompson Rachel H. , Worsdell April S. , Zarcone Jennifer R.
Published: March 2006

We used descriptive assessment information to generate hypotheses regarding the function of destructive behavior for 2 individuals who displayed near‐zero rates of problem behavior during an experimental functional analysis using methods similar to Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, and Richman (1982/1994). The descriptive data suggested that destructive behavior occurred primarily when caregivers issued requests to the participants that interfered with ongoing high‐probability (and presumably highly preferred) behaviors (i.e., a “don't” or a symmetrical “do” request). Subsequent experimental analyses showed that destructive behavior was maintained by contingent termination of “don't” and symmetrical “do” requests but not by termination of topographically similar “do” requests. These results suggested that destructive behavior may have been maintained by positive reinforcement (i.e., termination of the “don't” request allowed the individual to return to a highly preferred activity). Finally, a treatment (functional communication training plus extinction) developed on the basis of these analyses reduced destructive behavior to near‐zero levels.
EFFECTS OF DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT ON THE GENERALIZATION OF A REPLACEMENT MAND IN THREE CHILDREN WITH SEVERE LANGUAGE DELAYS
Authors: Drasgow Erik , Halle James W. , Ostrosky Michaelene M.
Published: March 2006

We investigated variables that may influence the generalization of a replacement mand in 3 young children with severe language delays. A multiple baseline design consisting of one stimulus class of manding opportunities that we arbitrarily divided into three categories (i.e., food, toys, and events) was used for each child. During baseline probes, all children manded mainly by reaching, grabbing, or leading. We then taught each child a replacement mand using a single member of the stimulus class. Acquisition of the replacement mand occurred under highly restricted conditions in a setting that was completely isolated from the generalization settings. Postacquisition probes revealed almost exclusive use of old manding forms. Subsequently, extinction of the old forms and reinforcement of the replacement mand were introduced in a sequential fashion. Two children manifested a substantial increase, and 1 child displayed a moderate increase in the occurrence of the replacement mand (i.e., generalization occurred). These results suggest that a differential reinforcement procedure can alter the probability of the occurrence of response class members across a variety of stimulus conditions.
DEGREE OF CONSTRUCTED‐RESPONSE INTERACTION IN COMPUTER‐BASED PROGRAMMED INSTRUCTION
Authors: Kritch Kale M. , Bostow Darrel E.
Published: March 2006

This investigation evaluated the importance of frequent responding in computer‐based programmed instruction. Instructional computer programs that taught the use of an authoring language were administered to 155 undergraduate college students. One group experienced frequent (dense) situations requiring them to supply key components of the subject taught. A second group experienced half as many response requirements, and a third “passive” group simply tapped any key to progress. To control for time in contact with presentations, individuals in a fourth group were yoked to the members of the high‐density requirement group. Statistically significant differences on both posttest and application performances indicated that students who experienced the high density of overt response contingencies scored the best and the passive group score the worst. The yoked control revealed that time on task alone could not account for the superior performance of students in the high‐density group. Results suggest that inclusion of a high rate of constructed‐response contingencies within instructional computer programs increases performance.
USING NUMBER LINE PROCEDURES AND PEER TUTORING TO IMPROVE THE MATHEMATICS COMPUTATION OF LOW‐PERFORMING FIRST GRADERS
Authors: Fueyo Vivian , Bushell Don
Published: March 2006

Recommendations for mathematics instruction frequently include the use of manipulatives as a critical component. There are few experimental analyses of teaching strategies involving the use of manipulatives (e.g., the number line). This investigation used a multiple baseline design across three groups of students to examine the effectiveness of an experimental procedure for improving low‐performing children's skills in solving missing addend arithmetic problems using the number line. To address concerns about inadequate time for instruction and insufficient practice in most mathematics instruction, trained peer tutors implemented the procedure. The results suggest that student performance improved when trained tutors taught the students number line procedures and gave them feedback on accuracy. Further, social validation data indicate that the students, their tutors, and their classroom teachers liked the procedures.
IDENTIFICATION AND VALIDATION OF CRITICAL CONVERSATIONAL SOCIAL SKILLS
Authors: Hughes Carolyn , Lorden Sarah W. , Scott Stacey V. , Hwang Bogseon , Derer Kristine R. , Rodi Michael S. , Pitkin Sarah E. , Godshall Joy C.
Published: March 2006

In this study, we used a four‐step social validation process to identify and validate critical skill components that constitute high school students' conversational behavior. The four steps were nominating target behaviors, establishing a normative range of performance, manipulating simulations of behavioral dimensions, and comparing ratings of judges to levels of performance on those behavioral dimensions. Multiple measures, both quantitative and qualitative, suggested that the rate and percentage of time initiating and responding verbally, the percentage of time attending, and the percentage of time not engaging in distracting motor behavior related to favorable ratings by a wide variety of 60 judges. Findings are discussed in relation to the utility of the multistep social validation process and the identification of critical social skill components as targets of interventions.