Evaluation of antecedent stimulus parameters for the treatment of escape-maintained aberrant behavior.
(17/658)
We evaluated a methodology for identifying the range of stimulus features of antecedent stimuli associated with aberrant behavior in demand contexts in natural settings. For each participant, an experimental analysis of antecedents (Phase 1) was conducted to confirm the hypothesis that task instructions occasioned increases in aberrant behavior. During Phase 2, specific stimulus features associated with the presentation of task instructions were assessed by evaluating the child's behavior across two distinct settings, therapists, and types of tasks in a sequential fashion. Aberrant behavior occurred immediately across settings and therapists, presumably because the presence of a discriminative stimulus for escape-maintained behavior (the delivery of a task instruction) occasioned aberrant behavior. However, aberrant behavior decreased initially across tasks, suggesting that familiarity with the task might be a variable. During Phase 3, an experimental (functional) analysis of consequences was conducted with 2 participants to verify that aberrant behavior was maintained by negative reinforcement. During Phase 4, a treatment package that interspersed play with task instructions was conducted to disrupt the ongoing occurrence of aberrant behavior. Immediate and durable treatment effects occurred for 2 of the 3 participants. (+info)
Rapid assessment of the effects of restraint on self-injury and adaptive behavior.
(18/658)
We evaluated the effects of restraint on occurrences of self-injurious behavior (SIB) and adaptive responses exhibited by 2 individuals across eight response-effort conditions: baseline (no restraints); restraint sleeves without stays; restraints with 5, 10, 15, 20, or 25 thin metal stays; and restraints with five thick metal stays. From this analysis, we identified a restraint level for each participant that reduced SIB but did not inhibit adaptive responding. (+info)
Characteristics of children and adolescents presenting to accident and emergency departments with deliberate self harm.
(19/658)
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to provide a description of the characteristics of children and adolescents presenting to the accident and emergency (A&E) department with deliberate self harm. METHODS: Descriptive analysis of data collected by reviewing the notes of all children and adolescents aged 16 years and under, presenting during the period of study (1 January to 31 December) with a history of deliberate self harm. RESULTS: A total of 100 children (18 boys, 82 girls) were responsible for 117 episodes of deliberate self harm. Nine repeaters were responsible for 22% of the attendances; 38% had made use of emergency ambulance service and 6% were referred by their general practitioner (GP). Sixty nine per cent were accompanied by immediate family and 21% children presented alone. Seventy four per cent presented within three hours of the attempt and 37% presented between 6 pm and midnight; 77% presented during weekdays and 30% of attempts had occurred during spring. Ninety two per cent had used a pharmaceutical drug. Sixty five per cent had made the attempt at home and 12% in a public place. Twenty five per cent had prior or current contact with the child psychiatric services and a similar proportion had prior or current contact with social services. CONCLUSIONS: Few of the children and adolescents presenting with deliberate self harm to the A&E department have been referred by their GP. They frequently present alone or are accompanied by people who are not family members making assessment and treatment difficult. Many already have other services involved in their care and thus the gathering and dissemination of information can become quite lengthy. The time of presentation is usually out of hours, further complicating this process. A small number of young people present with repeated self harm, who are known to be most vulnerable for completing suicide. (+info)
An evaluation of the effects of matched stimuli on behaviors maintained by automatic reinforcement.
(20/658)
The purpose of the current investigation was to extend the literature on matched stimuli to three dissimilar forms of aberrant behavior (dangerous climbing and jumping, saliva manipulation, and hand mouthing). The results of functional analyses suggested that each behavior was automatically reinforced. Preference assessments were used to identify two classes of stimuli: items that matched the hypothesized sensory consequences of aberrant behavior (matched stimuli) and items that produced sensory consequences that were not similar to those produced by the aberrant behavior (unmatched stimuli). The effects of providing continuous and noncontingent access to either the most highly preferred matched or the most highly preferred unmatched stimuli were assessed relative to a condition in which no stimuli were available. Overall results suggested that providing access to items that matched the hypothesized sensory consequences of aberrant behavior may be more effective than simply selecting stimuli either arbitrarily or based on the results of preference assessments alone. (+info)
Effects of increased response effort on self-injury and object manipulation as competing responses.
(21/658)
We evaluated the effects of a response-effort intervention on the occurrence of self-injurious hand mouthing and a competing response (object manipulation) with 4 individuals who had profound developmental disabilities. During Phase 1, results of functional analyses showed that all participants engaged in high levels of hand mouthing in the absence of social contingencies, suggesting that the behavior was maintained by automatic reinforcement. In Phase 2, preferred leisure items were identified for participants during assessments in which duration of leisure item manipulation was used as the index of preference. In Phase 3, participants were observed to engage in high levels of hand mouthing and in varying levels of object manipulation when they had free access to their most preferred leisure items during baseline. The effects of increased response effort on hand mouthing and object manipulation were then evaluated in mixed multiple baseline and reversal designs. The response-effort condition was identical to baseline, except that participants wore soft, flexible sleeves that increased resistance for elbow flexion but still enabled participants to engage in hand mouthing. Results showed consistent decreases in SIB and increases in object manipulation during the response-effort condition for all participants. These results suggested that a less preferred reinforcer (produced by object manipulation) may substitute for a more highly preferred reinforcer (produced by hand mouthing) when response effort for hand mouthing was increased. DESCRIPTORS: self-injurious behavior, automatic reinforcement, reinforcer substitutability, response effort (+info)
The effects of noncontingent delivery of high- and low-preference stimuli on attention-maintained destructive behavior.
(22/658)
An adolescent with severe mental retardation and cerebral palsy who displayed attention-maintained destructive behavior was exposed to noncontingent reinforcer delivery (NCR) with either a high-preference or a low-preference stimulus while reinforcement for destructive behavior with attention remained in effect (i.e., NCR without extinction). NCR without extinction was effective only when the high-preference stimulus was available, suggesting that systematic assessment of stimulus quality may enhance the effectiveness of NCR with alternative stimuli. (+info)
Using brief assessments to evaluate aberrant behavior maintained by attention.
(23/658)
We examined the use of brief functional assessments to identify idiosyncratic variables associated with aberrant behavior maintained by positive reinforcement in the form of attention. Two participants with severe developmental disabilities and their parents were involved in the assessment and treatment evaluation process. A modified attention condition was introduced, which involved both parents interacting with a third person. Results of the assessment demonstrated that aberrant behavior occurred only in the modified attention condition for both participants. Treatment consisted of the parents delivering attention on a fixed-time schedule during this specific social context. Results indicated that the treatment reduced problem behavior. Follow-up evaluations with 1 participant indicated maintenance of treatment effects for up to 6 months. (+info)
Functional analysis of aberrant behavior through measurement of separate response topographies.
(24/658)
Functional analysis results for multiple topographies of aberrant behavior were graphed in an aggregate fashion and then separately for 48 clients. The results indicated that multiple topographies of behavior may be maintained by different contingencies. These results indicate that graphing functional analysis data in an aggregate fashion and then separately may improve the accuracy of their interpretation. (+info)