Behavioral Interventions最新文献

The American Heart Association recently implemented a new requirement, which requires instructors to implement the use of a feedback device during CPR classes. A previous study evaluated using a feedback device and a stringent mastery criterion while training adults to perform hands-only CPR on adult manikins. Approximately 5000 infants and children experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and the most frequent cause is respiratory emergencies such as drowning, choking, sudden infant death syndrome, or heart abnormalities. The present study aimed to replicate and extend this previous work by equipping caregivers with the skills to performing infant CPR. Before training, all participants scored below the mastery criterion. After behavioral skills training was complete, all participants met the mastery criterion in the absence of feedback. The findings are discussed in light of previous research, and areas for future researchers to explore are provided.

Prevalence reports continue to indicate that social-negative reinforcement is the most likely reinforcer for challenging behavior. Although there are several well-established, durable treatments for escape-maintained challenging behavior, some situations require the immediate suppression of challenging behavior while working toward a return to instruction completion. Little is known about the initial suppressive effects of treatments. We randomly assigned 22 children with escape-maintained challenging behavior to one of three treatments—differential negative reinforcement with escape extinction, differential positive reinforcement without escape extinction, or instructional fading without escape extinction—and evaluated the initial suppression of challenging behavior during the first 10 treatment sessions. Both interventions without escape extinction led to more rapid immediate suppression compared to differential negative reinforcement with escape extinction. Differential positive reinforcement or instructional fading may be preferential interventions when the goal is an immediate reduction of severe or dangerous challenging behavior.

Written instructions is a common intervention for training staff; however, the existing literature has been limited in scope and shown varying results. To address some of the limitations of written instructions, recently, researchers have evaluated the effects of enhanced written instructions (i.e., step-by-step instructions, written with minimal technical jargon, and may include pictures or diagrams) for training staff. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of enhanced written instructions (EWI) on necessary skills for novice behavior interventionists and assess generalization of skills within subjects. Results suggested EWI was effective for acquisition and generalization for some skills across participants; however, modified EWI was necessary for acquisition, generalization, or both for other skills.

Teaching listener selection responses to students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) through auditory-visual conditional discrimination (AVCD) tasks is both essential and challenging in early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) programs. We evaluated the efficacy of two instructional approaches—conditional discrimination-based instruction (CDB) and joint control-based instruction (JCB)—using an adaptive alternative treatment design with six Chinese-speaking students with ASD. Results consistently showed that JCB was more effective than CDB. Our findings support the role of joint control as a form of verbal mediation in AVCD tasks and highlight the multiply controlled nature of intraverbal behavior. The findings provide valuable insights for educators aiming to enhance language intervention strategies.

Psychotropic medications are commonly prescribed to address challenging behavior of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This paper provides a topical review of the literature examining support staff's perception of both their knowledge of psychotropic medication effects and the role they play (or lack thereof) when it comes to decision-making and patient advocacy regarding psychotropic medication use. Also reviewed was the literature regarding the training support staff receive on psychotropic medication effectiveness and their side effects. Although training on psychotropic medication has enhanced support staff knowledge and awareness of medication effects, it is unclear if the training has impacted the overall use of psychotropic medication within this population. Existing gaps in the literature and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Nearly four decades of research indicates that young children with developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) benefit from receiving behavior analysis services during the earliest, critical years of development. Often these services are provided comprehensively, focus heavily on skill-building in various key domains, and, in some cases, also focus on ameliorating behavior issues that may impede eventual attendance in a traditional kindergarten. Prior research suggests that select circumstances warrant intervening on challenging behavior in the early years, as it offers the benefit of avoiding more severe presentations and social adjustment issues in the later years. However, there is little empirical research guiding practitioners as to what benchmarks and behavioral goals are age-appropriate, what perceived issues are most relevant to traditional preschool and kindergarten settings, and to what extent these arise in neurotypically developing peers. This observational study was conducted to build a preliminary database of common early childhood behavior problems, compare rates between preschoolers on the autism spectrum and same-age neurotypical peers, and identify what rates of challenging behavior may be expected in a neurotypical preschool setting. Results indicated that challenging behavior occurred regularly for most neurotypical preschoolers but at relatively lower rates compared to preschoolers with ASD; in addition, that age and combined rates of challenging behavior were negatively correlated for both groups of participants.

As a strategy to prevent reoccurrence of challenging behavior, some caregivers report frequent or excessive reinforcement of their child's requesting behavior. The current study describes the assessment and treatment of 14 children, ages 3–12 (M = 6.4, SD = 2.7), who engaged in challenging behavior that was reinforced by adult cooperation with manding. Following a differentiated mand analysis, treatment structure involved a 20-h caregiver training program, delivered across either 2 or 5 consecutive weeks. Caregivers were trained to conduct all procedures, which incorporated the use of a cumulative duration schedule along with reinforcement schedule-thinning in a changing criterion design. Results averaged a 94% reduction across cases and statistically significant reductions in challenging behavior both within and between appointments (Cohen's ds = 0.88 and 1.1, respectively). The current study extends the literature on the treatment of percurrent challenging behavior by incorporating caregivers as therapists and using cumulative reinforcement schedules.