Premium
THE USE OF BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT TO PRESCRIBE AND EVALUATE TREATMENTS FOR SEVERELY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN
Author(s) -
Steege Mark W.,
Wacker David P.,
Berg Wendy K.,
Cigrand Karla K.,
Cooper Linda J.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of applied behavior analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1938-3703
pISSN - 0021-8855
DOI - 10.1901/jaba.1989.22-23
Subject(s) - reinforcement , psychology , multiple baseline design , preference , behavior change , token economy , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , audiology , medicine , psychiatry , intervention (counseling) , social psychology , economics , microeconomics
Behavioral assessment procedures were used to prescribe and evaluate treatments of maladaptive behavior for 2 children with severe multiple handicaps. In Experiment 1, the results of an assessment of reinforcer preference were used in conjunction with a functional analysis of the conditions maintaining self‐injurious behavior to prescribe a treatment for a child with severe disabilities. The treatment procedure involved the use of a pressure‐sensitive microswitch to activate reinforcing stimuli during two solitary conditions, during which self‐injurious behavior had occurred at high rates. The results were evaluated with a multiple baseline across settings design and indicated that self‐injury decreased with concomitant increases in microswitch activation. Results were maintained at 6 weeks, 8 weeks, and 6 months. In Experiment 2, the results of behavioral assessments of reinforcer preference and self‐injurious behavior were combined to develop a treatment for a second severely handicapped child, who exhibited high rates of self‐injury in demand situations. This treatment was evaluated with a multiple baseline across tasks design and resulted in the elimination of self‐injury for up to 15 months.