Behavior Modification

As one component of providing treatment in a residential facility, Brogan, Falligant, and Rapp decreased problem behavior by two groups of detained adolescents using group contingency procedures. The current series of studies evaluated the extent to which group procedures could be extended to other contexts within a residential facility. In Study 1, fixed-time delivery of attention by dormitory staff decreased problem behavior displayed by a group of five to 11 detained adolescents during free periods. In Study 2, rules from a therapist plus contingencies for following those rules increased appropriate line walking during specific transition periods. Subsequently, rules alone maintained appropriate line walking, however, direct training was required to produce appropriate line walking during other transitions. Measures of social validity indicated the procedures and outcomes in both studies were acceptable to facility personnel.

The high-probability (high-p) instructional sequence, which involves the delivery of a series of high-p instructions immediately before delivery of a low-probability (low-p) instruction, is a commonly used procedure to increase compliance among children and individuals with intellectual disabilities. Although the modal ratio of high-p instructions to low-p instructions is 3:1, other ratios may be more effective. In the current study, we compared three ratios of high-p with low-p instructions (i.e., 1:1, 3:1, and 5:1) during use of the high-p instructional sequence to increase compliance among three children with autism. Results suggest that the high-p sequence was effective to increase compliance for two of three participants and that the 5:1 ratio was most effective overall, although differences among ratios were slight for some participants. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.

In this study, we extended the literature on the generalization of negatively-reinforced mands in three young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). First, we used example and nonexample stimuli embedded in mand training to teach a new, socially appropriate, negatively-reinforced mand to reject unpreferred food items while continuously assessing mand discrimination. Second, we evaluated the discriminated generalization of the newly acquired mand by using untrained example and nonexample stimuli. Finally, we conducted maintenance probes to examine if the new, discriminated mand occurred over time in the absence of training. Results suggest that our mand training produced acquisition of a discriminated negatively-reinforced mand in all three children. Data indicate that the newly acquired, discriminated mand generalized to untrained food items and was maintained after training was discontinued. We discuss the conceptual significance and clinical implications of using example and nonexample stimuli to produce acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of negatively-reinforced mands in young children with ASD and language delays.

Research has demonstrated that values and acceptance interventions can increase distress tolerance, but the individual contribution of each remains unclear. The current study examined the isolated effect of a values intervention on immersion time in a cold pressor. Participants randomized to Values (n = 18) and Control (n = 14) conditions completed two cold pressor tasks, separated by a 30-min values or control intervention. Immersion time increased 51.06 s for participants in the Values condition and decreased by 10.79 s for those in the Control condition. Increases in self-reported pain and distress predicted decreases in immersion time for Control, but not Values, participants. The best-fitting model accounted for 39% of the variance in immersion time change. Results suggest that a brief isolated values exercise can be used to improve distress tolerance despite increased perceptions of pain and distress, such that values alone may be sufficient to facilitate openness to difficult experiences.

We investigated the effects of a telehealth pyramidal training package on participants’ implementation of incidental teaching. A total of eight adults worked with eight children with autism. Coaches were first taught to implement incidental teaching and then taught subsequent interventionists. The training package consisted of an online module and delayed video-based feedback provided via videoconferencing. Following the telehealth training program, coaches and interventionists reached the preset performance criteria and implemented incidental teaching with high fidelity. All of the child participants increased mands above baseline levels. Results suggest that interventionists can be trained via telehealth in behavior analytic interventions.

Behavioral intervention has positive effects on feeding problems of children with autism and food selectivity (FS), and researchers have evaluated a variety of specific behavioral interventions. Confidence in the effects of some specific interventions on feeding such as the high-probability instructional sequence (HPS) is limited by a lack of replication. Therefore, we assessed the generality of the HPS by replicating the intervention in children with autism and FS. Contrary to prior research, the HPS did not improve feeding responses for three consecutive children enrolled in the study. We discuss the results in relation to publishing failures to replicate without experimental control in applied behavior analysis research.