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THE INCREASE AND CONTROL OF VERBAL SIGNALS IN THE BLADDER TRAINING OF A SEVENTEEN MONTH OLD CHILD—A CASE STUDY *
Author(s) -
Brown R. Michael,
Brown Norma L.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1974.tb01229.x
Subject(s) - psychology , reinforcement , urination , praise , developmental psychology , audiology , multiple baseline design , nonverbal communication , psychotherapist , social psychology , intervention (counseling) , psychiatry , medicine , urinary system , endocrinology
SUMMARY This investigation attempted to increase the frequency and accuracy of verbal signaling prior to urination in a young child. The child was a seventeen month old female whose signalling behavior was observed to be intermittent and inconsistent. Operant procedures were introduced by the parents that consisted of reinforcing signalling and signalled urinations with candy and praise. When the reinforcing contingencies were present, signal frequency and accuracy increased above baseline level. The withdrawal of the reinforcers resulted in a rapid decline in responding and reinstatement of reinforcement was accompanied by an increase in signal frequency and accuracy above baseline. These findings indicate that under conditions of contingent reinforcement, the child withheld urination until she had signalled and was placed on her potty chair. It is suggested that parents can increase the efficiency of toilet training when the appropriate procedures are used.