Applied Behavior Analysis Commons^™

Development Of A Reinforcer Dimension Sensitivity Assessment To Inform Differential Reinforcement Of Alternative Behavior Without Extinction Procedures, Katherine Brown

Theses & Dissertations

Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) is the most commonly used procedure to treat destructive behavior maintained by social-positive reinforcement (Petscher, Rey, & Bailey, 2009). Several studies have demonstrated that placing destructive behavior on extinction (EXT) during DRA is critical for the reduction of destructive behavior (Fisher et al., 1993; Hagopian, Fisher, Sullivan, Acquisto, & LeBlanc, 1998). Despite the empirical evidence demonstrating the importance of using EXT during DRA, the use of EXT has several limitations. These limitations have resulted in the development of DRA without EXT treatments, during which practitioners manipulate dimensions of reinforcement to favor appropriate responding. The …

Investigations Of Operant Aba Renewal During Differential Alternative Reinforcement, Ryan T. Kimball

Theses & Dissertations

Operant renewal is a form of relapse in which a previously extinguished response recurs due to a change in context. We designed two experiments to examine the impact of differential reinforcement of alternative behavior on ABA renewal in a translational model of relapse with 12 children either diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, an intellectual disability, or who were neurotypical. We compared levels of renewal in two, three-phase arrangements. In one arrangement, we reinforced target responding in Context A, extinguished responding in Context B, and returned to Context A while continuing to implement extinction. In a second arrangement, an alternative response …

Decreasing Resistance To Change In The Form Of Food Selectivity For Children With Autism, Jaime G. Crowley

Theses & Dissertations

Repetitive and restricted response patterns are a core symptom of autism spectrum disorder, and resistance to change is a behavioral subcategory of these symptoms. Food selectivity, consumption of a limited variety of foods and liquids or rigidity during mealtime routines, is a common change-resistant behavior of children with autism that may increase the child’s risk for severe health problems such as obesity and additional learning and behavior problems (Freedman, Dietz, Srinivasan, & Berenson, 1999). Unexpected changes in routines or in the environment can cause behavioral outbursts that are disruptive or potentially dangerous to the child, caregiver, or property and increase …

An Evaluation Of Deferred Time-Out, Abigail Kennedy

Theses & Dissertations

Although substantial research has shown time-out to be an effective treatment for children’s problem behavior, time-out resistance (i.e., failure to go to time-out, escape from time-out, as well as negative vocalizations and aggression occurring between the time-out instruction and the completion of time-out) has the potential to decrease time-out’s suppressive effect, increase use of more intrusive and effortful administrative methods and escape contingencies, and negatively affect parental adherence. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of deferred time-out (DTO) on time-out resistance in a clinic and home setting. In addition, this research provided a preliminary evaluation …

Evaluation Of Real-Time Feedback Via Telehealth: Training Staff To Conduct A Preference Assessment, Janelle Ausenhus

Theses & Dissertations

Effective, efficient, and accessible staff training procedures are needed to meet the service delivery demand for treating individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The present study evaluated the effectiveness of delivering real-time feedback via telehealth to train staff to conduct multiple stimulus without replacement (MSWO) preference assessments. A nonconcurrent multiple-baseline- across-participants showed that remote real-time feedback was associated with short training times and minimal sessions to achieve mastery. Generalization and maintenance probes indicated these skills were transferable to other preference assessments (i.e., edible preference assessments) and learners (i.e., children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder).

Teaching Caregivers To Integrate Four Play-Based Instructional Strategies Without Decrements In Child Play And Preference, Maegan Pisman

Theses & Dissertations

Young children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often require systematic teaching to learn new skills, and caregivers can teach their children by embedding learning opportunities in a play-based context. However, researchers have not evaluated procedures to train caregivers to implement a combination of strategies designed to establish rapport and early language skills while maintaining play as a preferred context. We recruited two caregiver-child dyads composed of two mothers and their sons (3 and 4 years old). We used a multiple-probe design across strategies to demonstrate the efficacy of behavioral skills training on the mothers’ integration of parallel play, child-directed …

Emergent Completion Of Multistep Instructions Via Joint Control, Megan Vosters

Theses & Dissertations

Teaching procedures that facilitate the emergence of novel responses allow for increased efficiency, which is critical when providing early-intervention services to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Three children diagnosed with ASD between 5 and 6 years old participated. In Study 1, we demonstrated functional control over the effects of teaching echoic rehearsals on the emergence of completing novel two-step instructions via joint control. In Study 2, we conducted an experimental analysis of joint control by disrupting rehearsal of the instruction and tacts of the objects in the instruction, which served as the sources of joint control. Our results support …

Evaluating And Mitigating The Relapse Of Undesirable Caregiver Behavior, Daniel R. Mitteer

Theses & Dissertations

The success of behavioral treatments like functional communication training depends on their continued implementation outside of the clinical context, where failures in caregiver treatment adherence can lead to the relapse of destructive behavior (St. Peter Pipkin, Vollmer, & Sloman, 2010). In Chapter 2, we developed a laboratory model for evaluating the relapse of undesirable caregiver behavior (e.g., delivering reinforcers following destructive behavior) in which we used an adult confederate who engaged in destructive behavior to simulate a treatment-adherence challenge. Undesirable caregiver behavior relapsed in three of four treatment-adherence challenges despite a behavior analyst using behavioral skills training (BST) to teach …

A Comparison Of Function- And Nonfunction-Based Extinction For Inappropriate Mealtime Behavior, Caitlin Kirkwood

Theses & Dissertations

Previous literature supports the use of a functional analysis to prescribe treatment for children with feeding disorders (Bachmeyer et al., 2009; Piazza, Fisher, et al., 2003). Nevertheless, clinicians often train caregivers to use healthy contingencies, independent of whether those contingencies are function based. We do not know, however, whether including nonfunction-based contingencies differentially affects inappropriate mealtime behavior. In the current study, we observed that caregivers of 3 children with feeding disorders provided escape from bites and drinks and attention following inappropriate mealtime behavior. Results of a functional analysis showed escape from bites or drinks, but not attention, reinforced inappropriate mealtime …

A Translational Evaluation Of Renewal Of Inappropriate Mealtime Behavior, Vivian Ibañez, Cathleen C. Piazza, Kathryn M. Peterson

Theses & Dissertations

The term renewal describes the recurrence of previously extinguished behavior that occurs when the intervention context changes. Renewal has important clinical relevance as a paradigm for studying treatment relapse because context changes are necessary for generalization and maintenance of most intervention outcomes (Podlesnik, Kelley, Jimenez-Gomez, & Bouton, 2017). The effect of context changes are particularly important during intervention for children with feeding disorders because children eat in a variety of contexts, and extinction is an empirically supported and often necessary intervention. Therefore, we used an ABA arrangement to test for renewal during intervention with 3 children diagnosed with a feeding …

Bedtime Fading With Response Cost For Treatment Of Sleep Disturbances In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sela Ann Sanberg

Theses & Dissertations

As many as 82% of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) experience numerous chronic sleep-related problems and at a much higher frequency and severity than their typically developing peers. Behavioral treatments are considered best practice and first-line treatment to address sleep problems. These treatments tend to address one specific sleep-related behavior at a time. Bedtime Fading with Response Cost (BFRC) is a promising intervention that targets a multitude of sleep problems concurrently and has yet to be replicated by more than one investigative team in the home setting with children on the autism spectrum. This study evaluated the effectiveness of …

Evaluation Of Real-Time Feedback To Train Caregivers To Conduct Early Intensive Behavioral Interventions, Amanda L. Gibson

Theses & Dissertations

Mounting empirical support for early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) has increased demand for these types of treatments for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Many caregivers are now learning EIBI techniques and becoming active agents in their child’s ASD treatment. Behavioral skills training (BST) has been frequently used to teach individuals to perform a variety of skills correctly, including discrete-trial instruction (DTI; Lafasakis & Sturmey, 2007). In this study, caregivers were trained to conduct a DTI procedure. A single-component BST method (i.e., real-time feedback) was examined. A concurrent, multiple baseline across caregivers design was used to demonstrate experimental control. …

Facilitating The Emergence Of Convergent Intraverbals In Children With Autism, Andresa Desouza

Theses & Dissertations

With intraverbal relations, one speaker’s verbal behavior controls another speaker’s verbal behavior. Convergent intraverbals represent a specific type of intraverbal in which multiple components of one speaker’s verbal behavior control a specific verbal response from another speaker (e.g., Speaker 1: what wooly, horned animal lives in the high country? Speaker 2: a mountain goat). Learning intraverbal relations under the control of multiple variables is critical to language, social, and academic development. Sundberg and Sundberg (2011) identified prerequisites that may engender the emergence of novel, convergent intraverbals. We used a multiple-probe design with both nonconcurrent (across participants) and concurrent (across sets …

Evaluation Of A Modified Incidental Teaching Procedure To Increase Child Compliance, Corey M. Cohrs

Theses & Dissertations

Teaching noncompliant children to engage in compliant behavior has long been a goal for many parents, teachers, and therapists (Patterson, Shaw, & Ebner, 1969). This goal has driven the development of behavioral technology, including entire manualized treatment programs, specifically intended for the treatment of noncompliance (Forehand & McMahon, 1981; Hembree-Kigin & McNeil, 1995). These programs have typically included time-out based interventions that are associated with resistance to instruction (Roberts, 1982;Roberts, 1984). Given children’s frequent resistance to traditional approaches (e.g., timeout; Ducharme & Popynick, 1993), alternative interventions for the treatment of noncompliance are warranted.

A modified version of incidental teaching (Hart …

Refining Noncontingent Reinforcement Treatments Using Behavioral Momentum Theory, Valdeep Saini

Theses & Dissertations

One of the most effective and commonly prescribed treatments for children with autism and/or an intellectual disability who engage in severe destructive behavior is called noncontingent reinforcement (NCR). During NCR, the consequence that previously reinforced destructive behavior is delivered on a time-based schedule, independent of destructive behavior, and the contingency between destructive behavior and its reinforcer is discontinued (operant extinction; EXT). Conceptual and quantitative derivations of behavioral momentum theory (BMT) suggest that certain aspects of NCR may inadvertently promote persistence of destructive behavior, thereby prolonging the treatment process. Guided by Shahan and Sweeney’s (2011) model of resurgence based on BMT, …

Effects Of Modeling Varied Responses And Programming Lag Contingencies On Varied Responding During Discrete-Trial Instruction, Sean P. Peterson

Theses & Dissertations

Children with autism often require direct instruction to learn skills (e.g., discrete-trial instruction [DTI]). Despite its advantages, DTI has been criticized for producing rote responding (e.g., Cihon, 2007). Although there is little research supporting this claim, if true, this may be problematic given the propensity of children with autism to engage in restricted and repetitive behavior (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). In Experiment 1, we evaluated the effects of modeling rote versus varied target responses during DTI on producing varied responding and efficiency of skill acquisition in learning intraverbal categorizations. For all four children, all increases in varied responding were temporary, …

Evaluation Of The Efficiency Of And Preference For Analog Versus Mand Training On The Acquisition Of Mands For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Melissa L. King

Theses & Dissertations

The present study provides a systematic replication of the Jennett, Harris, and Delmolino (2008) study comparing discrete trial instruction (DTI) and mand training on the acquisition of mands for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An adapted alternating treatment design was implemented across three participants. Independent mands, variation in requested items, and duration of sessions were assessed across conditions. Generalization probes were conducted to assess generalization across communication partners (e.g., novel research assistants), along with a maintenance probe one-week post-training. Furthermore, a concurrent-chains arrangement was implemented to assess participants’ preference for teaching strategies. All participants reached mastery criterion quickest with …

A Comparison Of Measurement Systems To Score Sleep Disturbance For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Aaron Lesser

Theses & Dissertations

Direct observation of children’s sleep disturbance in the home is critical to understanding child behavior while awake and determining qualitative features of the sleep environment, but obtaining these data from an in-home recorded video, second-by-second, is impractical in terms of scoring time because observers score when the child is asleep and awake. In Studies 1 and 2, we conducted an analog study to assess a motion-detection camera to determine whether it would be suitable to measure children’s sleep disturbance. In Study 3, we obtained in-home measures of sleep disturbance for three children with an autism spectrum disorder using a motion-detection, …

An Individualized Approach To Teach Greeting And Conversation Skills With Persons With Autism: Efficacy, Generalization, And Social Acceptability Outcomes, Stephanie A. Hood

Theses & Dissertations

Individuals with an autism spectrum disorder commonly exhibit deficits in social skills, which can lead to a lack of friendships (Howlin, 2003) and underemployment (Shattuck et al., 2012). We selected social skills based on a parent interview and a direct assessment of three individuals’ conversation and greeting deficits. We taught the conversation and greeting skills using behavioral skills training and within-session prompting. We assessed generalization of the conversation and greeting skills across unfamiliar conversation partners and maintenance over time. We obtained parent responses on the social acceptability of their child’s social skills. A multiple baseline design across behaviors was used …