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- Autism (10)
- Resurgence (7)
- Autism spectrum disorder (6)
- Functional communication training (6)
- Behavioral skills training (5)
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- Translational (5)
- Applied behavior analysis (4)
- Relapse (4)
- Renewal (4)
- Translational research (4)
- Treatment integrity (4)
- Caregiver training (3)
- Escape extinction (3)
- Extinction (3)
- Joint control (3)
- Autism spectrum disorders (2)
- Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (2)
- Children (2)
- Destructive behavior (2)
- Differential reinforcement (2)
- Emergent responding (2)
- Feeding disorder (2)
- Feeding disorders (2)
- Functional communication response (2)
- Generalization (2)
- Human operant (2)
- Humans (2)
- Inappropriate mealtime behavior (2)
- Intraverbal (2)
- Multiple control (2)
Articles 1 - 30 of 49
Full-Text Articles in Applied Behavior Analysis
Evaluating Joint Control Teaching Procedures For Teaching Yes-No Responding With Tact And Intraverbal Questions For Children With Autism, Desiree J. Dawson
Evaluating Joint Control Teaching Procedures For Teaching Yes-No Responding With Tact And Intraverbal Questions For Children With Autism, Desiree J. Dawson
Theses & Dissertations
Responding to yes and no questions is a general language skill that allows individuals to efficiently interact with their verbal community. Few behavior analytic studies have sought teaching this skill in general, with even fewer studies seeking to teach this skill when it pertains to a tact or intraverbal context. All behavior analytic studies to date seeking to teach this skill have used direct prompting and reinforcement of the yes and no responses, but there is little guidance for what can be done if this teaching strategy is not producing desired acquisition. The current experiments examined a teaching procedure informed …
Effects Of Treatment Integrity Level And Error Type On Dro Efficacy: A Parametric And Comparative Analysis, Paige O'Neill
Effects Of Treatment Integrity Level And Error Type On Dro Efficacy: A Parametric And Comparative Analysis, Paige O'Neill
Theses & Dissertations
Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) is a strategy commonly used in applied contexts to address challenging behavior but can be difficult to implement with high treatment integrity. Previous research has shown that DRO may be robust despite marginal errors of commission, but the impact of differing degrees of errors and different error types during DRO is still unclear. The purpose of the current study was to conduct a parametric evaluation of treatment integrity level (100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%) in DRO when implemented with combined errors (Experiment 1) and to directly compare error types (commission errors, omission errors, combined …
An Extension Of A Break-To-Choice Intervention With Isolated Contingency Tests For Children With Multiply Maintained Challenging Behavior, Mckenna E. Herbek
An Extension Of A Break-To-Choice Intervention With Isolated Contingency Tests For Children With Multiply Maintained Challenging Behavior, Mckenna E. Herbek
Theses & Dissertations
Research on functional communication training has shown it to be a highly effective treatment for socially maintained challenging behavior. Challenging behavior multiply maintained by social variables is often addressed with isolated treatments for each function. While this approach has been shown to be efficacious, it may be more time-consuming and less efficient. A more efficient option may be to synthesize the isolated treatments. One such approach, break-to-choice, utilizes a chained schedule of reinforcement that allows the individual to request a break, followed by the selection (choice) of a functional reinforcer to consume. Although this procedure has been shown to be …
Behavior Analysts’ Training And Practices Regarding Cultural Diversity: A Replication And Extension, Tania M. Valdez-Nuguid
Behavior Analysts’ Training And Practices Regarding Cultural Diversity: A Replication And Extension, Tania M. Valdez-Nuguid
Theses & Dissertations
Culturally responsive care, which involves adapting assessment and treatment methods to reflect the culture of individuals served (Sue & Torino, 2005), is crucial for client success, especially for minoritized and marginalized groups. This study replicated and extended Beaulieu et al. (2019) by surveying behavior analysts on their training, perceived competence, and practices in culturally responsive care. We extended Beaulieu et al. (2019) by including open-ended questions regarding culturally responsive practices and barriers faced in delivering culturally responsive care and offering the survey in Spanish. Participants reported feeling skilled and comfortable providing culturally responsive care, with increased training across various modalities. …
A Comparison Of Resurgence Following Dra And Dro, Alysa Georgopoulos
A Comparison Of Resurgence Following Dra And Dro, Alysa Georgopoulos
Theses & Dissertations
Resurgence, a form of behavioral relapse, occurs when a previously reduced target behavior reemerges after an alternative source of reinforcement is discontinued. Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) and differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) are commonly used strategies to reduce undesired behaviors. Although both are effective, unanticipated periods of extinction (e.g., service lapses or staff turnover) may lead to resurgence of the original target behavior. Romano and St. Peter (2017) found that behavior reduced via DRO was more prone to resurgence than behavior reduced via DRA. However, their study used a different number of response options between conditions (one …
The Impact Of Teaching Multiple Responses On Resurgence Of Target Behavior And Persistence Of Alternative Responding, Brittany H. Loder-Lafferty
The Impact Of Teaching Multiple Responses On Resurgence Of Target Behavior And Persistence Of Alternative Responding, Brittany H. Loder-Lafferty
Theses & Dissertations
This study evaluated the effects of teaching multiple alternative responses on the resurgence of a target response and the persistence of an alternative response in an applied setting. Using a between-participants group design, we examined how teaching multiple alternative responses impacted resurgence and persistence upon exposure to extinction. Additionally, we investigated the role of preference in response allocation and shifts in preference following extinction. Results indicated resurgence across both conditions, with no consistent difference in severity between single and multiple alternative responses. However, within session analysis revealed greater persistence of the alternative response for participants taught multiple responses, suggesting potential …
A Stepwise Evaluation Of Pairing, Shaping, And Nonremoval Of The Spoon For Children With Autism And Feeding Difficulties, Nicole C. Demchuk
A Stepwise Evaluation Of Pairing, Shaping, And Nonremoval Of The Spoon For Children With Autism And Feeding Difficulties, Nicole C. Demchuk
Theses & Dissertations
Feeding difficulties are pervasive for children with autism. The present study investigated the effects of a pairing intervention on cooperation with demands/acceptance of new foods, inappropriate behaviors, proximity to therapist, and indices of happiness for three children with autism and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder. When the pairing intervention alone was not effective to decrease inappropriate behaviors and increase acceptance of new foods, we implemented shaping procedures. Shaping was effective to increase acceptance of four new foods for two participants. For the third participant, we ultimately implemented nonremoval of the spoon procedures to decrease inappropriate behaviors and increase acceptance of …
Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Video Self-Monitoring On Staff Treatment Integrity During Covert And Overt Observations, Amber R. Paden
Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Video Self-Monitoring On Staff Treatment Integrity During Covert And Overt Observations, Amber R. Paden
Theses & Dissertations
Previous research has shown low treatment integrity can lead to decreased effectiveness and efficiency of skill acquisition during discrete-trial instruction (DTI; Carroll et al., 2013). Pantermuehl and Lechago (2015) found that during covert observations, treatment integrity ranged from 18.6 to 76% whereas during overt observations, integrity was as high as 100%. This shows reactivity is an obstacle within DTI service delivery. It is important to investigate how reactivity affects staff performance and identify ways to increase and maintain high integrity. Finding a socially acceptable, effective, and efficient method to increase and maintain high levels of staff treatment integrity during covert …
Correspondence Between Sensitivity Tests And Functional Analyses To Assess Emerging Challenging Behavior, Isaac J. Melanson
Correspondence Between Sensitivity Tests And Functional Analyses To Assess Emerging Challenging Behavior, Isaac J. Melanson
Theses & Dissertations
Behavior analysts typically assess and treat challenging behavior after it occurs regularly and at high severity. Although effective, this reactive approach is quite costly and resource intensive. A growing body of literature supports an alternative preventive approach, the first step of which involves conducting sensitivity tests to screen the emergence of lower-severity challenging behavior and functional skills (e.g., Fahmie et al., 2020). Research on sensitivity tests has shown that information on the function of emerging challenging behavior can be acquired in a relatively short period of time. Despite the potential value of sensitivity tests, their validity has not yet been …
Using Stimulus Fading To Increase The Generality Of Multiple Schedule Arrangments, Jordan Debrine
Using Stimulus Fading To Increase The Generality Of Multiple Schedule Arrangments, Jordan Debrine
Theses & Dissertations
We evaluated two methods to increase the generality of functional communication training (FCT) by incorporating naturally occurring stimuli within a multiple schedule thinning arrangement. In the present study, we used a stimulus control transfer procedure to determine the degree to which discriminated responding can be transferred from arbitrary to naturally occurring stimuli while maintaining high levels of functional communication and low rates of destructive behavior. Following the acquisition of discriminative control in the presence of an arbitrary stimulus, we transferred discriminative properties to naturally occurring activities that signal the unavailability of reinforcement. We compared rates of acquisition of discriminated functional …
Teaching Peer Imitation To Preschool-Aged Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Using A Video Modeling Treatment Package, Megan M. Harper
Teaching Peer Imitation To Preschool-Aged Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Using A Video Modeling Treatment Package, Megan M. Harper
Theses & Dissertations
Peer imitation is a skill that serves to promote the acquisition of new play skills, problem-solving skills, and academic skills through observation of one’s peers. Although peer imitation is an important pre-requisite for learning from peers, many autistic children experience deficits in this area. In the present study, we evaluated a video model treatment package to teach autistic children to imitate their peers. Additionally, we conducted free play probes pre- and post-training to assess the transfer of training to a natural play setting. The results of the current study are mixed. One participant’s imitation skills generalized to the in-vivo sessions …
Teaching Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Self-Protection Skills In Response To Bullying Situations, Maya J. Fallon
Teaching Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Self-Protection Skills In Response To Bullying Situations, Maya J. Fallon
Theses & Dissertations
Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at high risk of being bullied but research on teaching children with ASD self-protection skills for bullying situations is scant. We assessed the generality of teaching procedures used in Stannis et al. (2019) to teach adults self-protection skills with autistic children. We taught five children self-protection skills for two types of bullying (threats and unkind remarks) in a one-on-one format. In addition, we taught children a self-protection skill for repeated bullying occurrences. We first evaluated behavioral skills training to teach children to report threats of physical or material harm, provide a disapproving …
Increasing Young Children’S Honest Reports And Decreasing Their Transgressions, Robert K. Lehardy
Increasing Young Children’S Honest Reports And Decreasing Their Transgressions, Robert K. Lehardy
Theses & Dissertations
Young children break rules (i.e., transgress) and then lie about those transgressions. By adolescence, lying is associated with decreased trust, communication, and quality of relationships, and befriending antisocial peers. To decrease lies, we replicated differentially reinforcing honest reports about transgressions for one 6-year-old neurotypical child and two 7-year-old children who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. After all children learned to report honestly about transgressions, we extended on past research to decrease transgressions by differentially reinforcing play behaviors that children could engage in instead of transgressions. For all children, this resulted in increased levels of play, decreased transgressions, and continued …
Facilitating The Emergence Of Intraverbal-Tacts In Autistic Children Via Joint Control, Michael Aragon
Facilitating The Emergence Of Intraverbal-Tacts In Autistic Children Via Joint Control, Michael Aragon
Theses & Dissertations
Rodriguez et al. (2022) discovered that teaching four component skills was sufficient to facilitate the emergence of intraverbal-tacts across four applications with three participants. Our study evaluated an extension of this procedure aimed at facilitating intraverbal-tacts when a child learns the component skills but continues to fail to produce intraverbal-tacts. The extension consisted of procedures that attempted to enhance the divergent control exerted by the auditory stimulus (i.e., the question) and the discriminability of joint control. Intraverbal-tacts emerged for all three participants. These results are discussed in the context of Michael et al.’s (2011) conceptual analyses of intraverbal-tacts and the …
Establishing A Generalized Qualifying Autoclitic Repertoire In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Todd M. Owen
Establishing A Generalized Qualifying Autoclitic Repertoire In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Todd M. Owen
Theses & Dissertations
Autoclitics are secondary verbal operants that are controlled by a feature of the conditions that evoke a primary verbal operant (e.g., tact, mand). Among the types described by Skinner, qualifying autoclitics extend, negate, or assert a speaker’s primary verbal response and modify the intensity or direction of the listener’s behavior. In the only study to date on teaching qualifying autoclitics, Howard and Rice (1988) established generalized autoclitics that indicated weak stimulus control (e.g., “like a [primary tact]”) with four typically developing preschool children. However, generalization to newly acquired tacts was limited. In Experiment 1, we extended Howard and Rice to …
Using Prompt Delay And Instructive Feedback To Teach Pretend Play Skills To Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Gabriella R. Van Den Elzen
Using Prompt Delay And Instructive Feedback To Teach Pretend Play Skills To Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Gabriella R. Van Den Elzen
Theses & Dissertations
Pretend play involves carrying out routines, acting out roles, referencing absent or imaginary properties of objects, or substituting one object for another. Pretend play skills emerge in typically developing children by preschool age but are often absent or delayed in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the present study, we evaluated use of prompt delay, instructive feedback, and prompt delay with instructive feedback for the acquisition and maintenance of pretend play skills with children with ASD. Throughout training, we conducted free-play probes to evaluate generalization to a naturalistic setting. The results of the current study suggest that combining the …
Translational Evaluation Of Treatment Integrity Following Training With Varying Destructive Behavior Rates, Alexandra Hardee
Translational Evaluation Of Treatment Integrity Following Training With Varying Destructive Behavior Rates, Alexandra Hardee
Theses & Dissertations
Behavior analysts often use behavioral skills training to teach caregivers to implement treatment for their child’s destructive behavior with high levels of integrity. Even when trained to high levels of integrity, caregivers may revert to undesirable behaviors, and treatment integrity may decrease if high rates of destructive behavior occur (i.e., relapse). In the present study, we implemented a translational evaluation with adult participants to determine the impact of training under low- or high-rate destructive behavior on treatment integrity during subsequent treatment challenges involving exposure to high rates of destructive behavior only. Participants trained to implement the treatment package under conditions …
Predicting Reinforcers To Increase Physical Activity In Young Children With Obesity Using The Six-Minute Walk Test, Jordan D. Lill
Predicting Reinforcers To Increase Physical Activity In Young Children With Obesity Using The Six-Minute Walk Test, Jordan D. Lill
Theses & Dissertations
Childhood obesity continues to be a significant public health problem in the United States in which approximately 8% to 12% of American children are obese (Cunningham, Kramer, & Narayan, 2014; Mirza et al., 2018; Ogden et al., 2014). Further, 42% of American children are engaging in less than the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity (Troiano et al., 2008). Several treatments have been evaluated that have included goal-setting, self-monitoring, performance feedback, and access to arbitrary tangible rewards (e.g., Hyusti, Normand, & Larson, 2011; Van Camp & Hayes, 2012), but these treatments have often failed Luttikhuis et al., 2009; Nooijan …
An Evaluation Of Trial-Based Functional Analyses Of Inappropriate Mealtime Behavior, Ashley Andersen
An Evaluation Of Trial-Based Functional Analyses Of Inappropriate Mealtime Behavior, Ashley Andersen
Theses & Dissertations
Functional analyses allow clinicians to develop treatment targeting the variables maintaining a child’s inappropriate mealtime behavior (Bachmeyer et al., 2019). Extended functional analyses can be inefficient, potentially delaying the onset of treatment. Researchers have suggested a trial-based functional analysis can increase assessment efficiency (Saini, Fisher, et al., 2019). This study compared trial-based functional analyses to extended functional analyses to determine the variables maintaining inappropriate mealtime behavior. We compared the efficiency and acceptability and evaluated treatments informed by the analyses. Exact correspondence between analyses was low (29%); however, most treatments indicated by the trial-based functional analyses (71%) resulted in improvements in …
Indices Of Happiness And Unhappiness During Treatment Of Pediatric Feeding Disorders, Laura Elizabeth Phipps
Indices Of Happiness And Unhappiness During Treatment Of Pediatric Feeding Disorders, Laura Elizabeth Phipps
Theses & Dissertations
To date, there is no research on the measurement or evaluation of indices of happiness and unhappiness for children receiving behavior-analytic treatment for feeding disorders. The purpose of the current study was to measure child indices of happiness and unhappiness before and during extinction-based treatment and to evaluate the effects of noncontingent reinforcement with extinction-based treatment on indices of happiness and unhappiness. Overall, indices of happiness were idiosyncratic, and indices of unhappiness were initially higher during extinction without noncontingent reinforcement compared to with noncontingent reinforcement. Percentage of acceptance increased for all participants during both treatments, and caregiver treatment acceptability was …
Phase Duration And Resurgence, Sean Smith
Phase Duration And Resurgence, Sean Smith
Theses & Dissertations
Resurgence, the recurrence of responding due to a worsening of reinforcement conditions for current behavior, is a prevalent form of treatment relapse. Resurgence as Choice in Context predicts that increasing the duration of exposure to reinforcement for target responding during Phase 1 will increase resurgence magnitude, whereas increasing the duration of exposure to reinforcement for alternative responding and extinction for target responding during Phase 2 will decrease resurgence magnitude. We conducted an experiment evaluating these predictions with human participants recruited through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk platform. We varied Phase 1 and Phase 2 durations across four experimental groups. Resurgence as Choice …
Translational Evaluation Of The Effects Of Alternative Reinforcer Preference On Resurgence, Madeleine D. Keevy
Translational Evaluation Of The Effects Of Alternative Reinforcer Preference On Resurgence, Madeleine D. Keevy
Theses & Dissertations
We assessed the differential effects of high- and low-preference stimuli as reinforcers during functional communication training (FCT) on resurgence of destructive behavior during extinction using a multielement design with the components signaled by color-coordinated stimuli. In baseline, analog destructive responding resulted in reinforcement in both components. Next, in the treatment phase, the therapist discontinued reinforcement for the analog destructive response and delivered a high-preference reinforcer for a functional communication response (FCR) in the HIGH component and a low-preference reinforcer for the FCR in the LOW component. In the resurgence test, the therapist discontinued reinforcement for both the FCR and analog …
Boundary Conditions Of Observational Learning In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Andrew Blowers
Boundary Conditions Of Observational Learning In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Andrew Blowers
Theses & Dissertations
Whether a child with autism spectrum disorder will exhibit observational learning may depend on their attention to a part of the observed contingency and the stimulus modalities of the observed contingency. The absence of observational learning due to one or more of these variables would constitute a boundary condition. We held attention constant and used a multiple probe design combined with a repeated acquisition design to tested observational learning across a diverse set of contingencies, which composed of a hidden-edible, hidden-toy, hidden-video, tact, receptive-identification , and intraverbal contingencies. During preteaching, two children with autism spectrum disorder showed observational learning with …
An Evaluation Of A Renewal-Mitigation Procedure For Inappropriate Mealtime Behavior, Sarah D. Haney
An Evaluation Of A Renewal-Mitigation Procedure For Inappropriate Mealtime Behavior, Sarah D. Haney
Theses & Dissertations
Renewal, the increase in problem behavior during extinction following a context change (e.g., transfer of intervention from clinic to home), may be particularly concerning during interventions for feeding disorders because multiple context changes are often necessary for intervention generality and maintenance (Podlesnik et al., 2017). In the current study, we tested for renewal and evaluated a renewal-mitigation procedure when we transferred the intervention from a therapist to a caregiver, from clinic to the home, and introduced Context A foods. We used an ABA arrangement to evaluate the generality of the renewal effect with 7 children with feeding disorders. Context A …
Sustaining Behavior Reduction By Transitioning The Topography Of The Functional Communication Response During Fct, Kayla R. Randall
Sustaining Behavior Reduction By Transitioning The Topography Of The Functional Communication Response During Fct, Kayla R. Randall
Theses & Dissertations
Initial rates of destructive behavior tend to be lower when behavior analysts select functional communication responses (FCRs) they can physically guide (e.g., a card-touch FCR). However, destructive behavior may recur at higher rates when FCR materials go missing than when the FCR no longer produces reinforcement. In Experiment 1, we extended prior research by demonstrating less resurgence of target responding when a vocal FCR remained available but no longer produced reinforcement compared to a condition in which neither the alternative response nor reinforcement was available. In contrast to these findings, Experiment 2 replicated other prior research showing that the ability …
Evaluating The Generality And Social Acceptability Of Early Friendship Skills, Ciobha A. Mckeown
Evaluating The Generality And Social Acceptability Of Early Friendship Skills, Ciobha A. Mckeown
Theses & Dissertations
The development of prosocial skills is considered pivotal to childhood development. The friendship unit of the Preschool Life Skills program teaches early prosocial skills likely to facilitate socially desirable behaviors in young children; however, the friendship unit is the most understudied unit and has produced modest, inconsistent outcomes across children. The current study aimed to evaluate procedures necessary to (a) teach friendship skills to four children, with and without developmental disabilities, in an applied context and (b) promote the use of the skills with a same-aged peer. Teaching five friendship skills in a one-on-one approach and adding tangible reinforcement, if …
Efficacy And Efficiency Evaluation Of Real-Time Feedback For Caregiver Training, Elizabeth J. Preas
Efficacy And Efficiency Evaluation Of Real-Time Feedback For Caregiver Training, Elizabeth J. Preas
Theses & Dissertations
Children with an autism spectrum disorder often have deficits in completing activities of daily living skills independently, which then falls on the responsibility of caregivers to assist their child. Behavioral skills training is an efficacious method to train caregivers to implement various behavioral interventions that includes several training components, which can be time intensive. Alternative caregiver training methods that are effective and efficient are needed to train caregivers to implement activities of daily living skills with their child. The present study used two concurrent multiple-baseline across participants design to evaluate the effects of real-time feedback and behavioral skills training to …
Evaluating The Use Of Competing Items In A Multiple Schedule During Reinforcement Schedule Thinning, Scott A. Miller
Evaluating The Use Of Competing Items In A Multiple Schedule During Reinforcement Schedule Thinning, Scott A. Miller
Theses & Dissertations
Multiple schedules are schedules of reinforcement that are often used to facilitate more manageable rates of a replacement behavior such as a communication response following functional communication training as an intervention for destructive behavior. Commonly, reinforcement schedule thinning involves multiple fading steps that can take more than 100 sessions to achieve therapeutic goals. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate a method for rapidly achieving fading steps in a multiple schedule by including competing items during the extinction interval. Four children diagnosed with autism successfully reached the terminal extinction interval with a ≥80% reduction in problem behavior. Two of …
Resurgence Following Interdependent And Traditional Differential Reinforcement Of Alternative Behavior, Ashley Fuhrman
Resurgence Following Interdependent And Traditional Differential Reinforcement Of Alternative Behavior, Ashley Fuhrman
Theses & Dissertations
Clinicians frequently prescribe functional communication training (FCT) as a treatment for severe destructive behavior. Recent research has shown that FCT treatments are susceptible to treatment relapse in the form of resurgence of destructive behavior when individuals contact periods in which reinforcers are unavailable (e.g., Fisher, Greer, Fuhrman, Saini, & Simmons, 2018). Behavioral Momentum Theory (BMT) is a quantitative model of behavior researchers have employed to predict treatment relapse when the reinforcement component of FCT is suspended, which may occur when a caregiver is unable to implement treatment. Although many studies support the accuracy of BMT (e.g., Fisher et al., 2018), …
Efficacy Of Module-Based Functional Communication Caregiver Training For Moderate To Severe Problem Behavior, Lauren A. Phillips
Efficacy Of Module-Based Functional Communication Caregiver Training For Moderate To Severe Problem Behavior, Lauren A. Phillips
Theses & Dissertations
Intensive behavior-analytic services typically reduce behavior problems associated with autism spectrum disorder. However, there are substantial barriers to access these services, including access to behavior analysts who can conduct the training. One way to address problem behavior and barriers to services is to train caregivers to implement function-based interventions to produce sustained improvements in child behavior. We developed a computer-based module (i.e., an e-learning module) to train caregivers to implement functional communication training, a function-based intervention, with extinction and safety procedures. Caregivers conducted a functional analysis to determine the function of their child’s behavior. During baseline, caregivers responded as they …