Behavioral Interventions最新文献

Research has demonstrated that latency is a reasonable index of response strength in the functional analysis and treatment of behaviors targeted for reduction. The literature contains numerous examples of functional analyses emphasizing latency informing effective treatment for problem behavior in various scenarios. Latency measurement can improve the versatility of functional analyses by allowing researchers and practitioners to examine behaviors that are not amenable to a traditional functional analysis arrangement and conduct assessments in challenging environments. Although there have been several reviews of the functional analysis literature, to date none have specifically addressed functional analyses emphasizing latency measurement. Given the unique advantages of latency-based functional analyses, a systematic review could be beneficial to researchers and practitioners in behavior analysis. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review of research on functional analyses using latency to measure target behaviors. Our review included 79 cases across 27 empirical research articles. We present a summary of the extant literature, highlight strengths and limitations of the empirical foundations, provide clinical implications, and discuss future directions for research.

Functional analysis (FA) methodology has been deemed the best practice in the field of applied behavior analysis. The data collected in an FA allows behavior analysts to develop the most effective and ethical behavior interventions. With the diagnosis for individuals with autism on the rise along with the forecast of adults who will need support, it may be time to take stock of the available literature. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the behavior analytic research over the last 25 years (1997–2022) on FA and treatment for adults who engage in severe problem behavior. Utilizing specific inclusion and exclusion criteria resulted in the identification of 28 articles. These articles were examined across participant characteristics, target behavior, FA type, FA settings, interventions, generalization, and maintenance. Implications on adult FA and treatment are discussed along with recommendations for practitioners who desire to support this population.

Functional communication training (FCT) in the treatment of escape-maintained problem behavior for children with disabilities often includes extinction for problem behavior, which is difficult for educators to implement in classroom settings. This study evaluated the effects of FCT with concurrent schedules, as an alternative to extinction, for two children with disabilities and multiply maintained problem behavior including escape functions. FCT with concurrent schedules reduced problem behavior for one participant and increased mands for both participants. The mixed effects across participants and behaviors may inform boundary conditions for FCT with concurrent schedules.

Young children's display of emotional and behavioral difficulties is relatively commonplace. However, if left unaddressed, these challenging behaviors have potential to develop into more serious problems. Furthermore, parents often report feeling unprepared to prevent and address their young children's emotional and behavioral difficulties. Fortunately, behavioral parent training strategies, such as Parent–Child Interaction Therapy, have been found to be effective for helping parents learn to effectively improve young children's behavior. Although effective, there are barriers to accessing behavioral parent training, such as cost, lack of transportation, and living in rural areas with limited mental and behavioral health care. Therefore, the purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effects of internet-delivered PCIT (iPCIT) on parents' use of praise, reflections, imitations, descriptions, and enjoyment/enthusiasm (PRIDE skills) with children referred for disruptive behavior. Participants in this study included three parents and their 2-year-old children. We used a concurrent multiple probe across participants' design to test the effects of iPCIT on parents' use of PRIDE skills and maintenance of treatment effects. Results indicated that all three parents increased their use of PRIDE skills and maintained them following termination of treatment. Results, implications, and future directions are discussed.

The purpose of the study was to do an experimental analysis of academic task refusal for one girl with a developmental disability. Task refusal was analyzed in two experimental analyses. First, an analysis testing if the behavior was maintained by negative reinforcement, and the second, an analysis testing if the behavior was the result of transitioning between academic tasks differing in preference. Task refusal did not occur in the demand condition of the functional analysis, indicating that the behavior was not maintained by escape from demands. Conversely, task refusal occurred solely in the second experimental analysis when transitioning from a high-preferred to a low-preferred academic task. In this case, the context of terminating a preferred academic task and transitioning to a less preferred academic task was aversive but not the demand itself. In addition, when an embedded break condition was compared to a no break condition in a multielement design, task refusal was reduced to zero levels.

Matching-to-sample arrangements are commonly used to teach conditional discriminations. In these arrangements, instructors must systematically arrange instruction to ensure that a learner's response comes under the intended sources of stimulus control. Given the multitude of instructional considerations, the instructors' procedural fidelity has been a significant concern. Recently, LeBlanc et al. found that brief training and access to enhanced data sheets produced high levels of fidelity with experienced service providers. The current study extended LeBlanc et al. by examining the effects of a similar training on the fidelity and instructional pacing by participants with and without previous experience. The participants' performance was also compared when using a flashcard or binder (i.e., printed) arrays and relative to a tablet-delivered instructional program. High levels of fidelity were observed following training, although pacing was slow. Slight differences in performance were observed across comparison arrays; nevertheless, the tablet-based program outperformed instructors.

Correct running form is important for injury prevention; as such, correct form promotes continued engagement in running as a long-term form of exercise. Researchers have shown video feedback to be an effective strategy to improve athletic form for a variety of sports, but it has not been evaluated in any behavior analytic research as a method for improving running form. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of video feedback to improve running form for regular runners. During baseline, each participant was video recorded while running without any feedback (verbal or video). During intervention, the researcher recorded the participant, then showed them the video and provided feedback on correct or incorrect form, according to a 9-step task analysis. Results show that all three participants achieved 100% correct steps on the task analysis when video feedback was used to maintain their form during follow-up.

Research exists to support the efficacy of the Interview-Informed Synthesized Contingency Analysis (IISCA) and skill-based treatment (SBT) to address problem behavior within a clinical setting. However, limited research is available to support their use in a classroom setting and especially as a tool to avoid the display of problem behavior altogether. In the current study, the IISCA, informed by an open-ended interview, was conducted with a single participant in the classroom after a prolonged absence from school due to COVID-19. Results of the IISCA were used to determine the multiple contingencies that were likely to evoke problem behavior upon re-introduction of academic task demands. A skill-based treatment was then developed based on these contingencies, which involved teaching the participant functional communication, delay tolerance, and following academic instruction in relevant contexts. After 25 treatment sessions, the participant had acquired and maintained all of these skills, including the ability to functionally communicate, tolerate removal of preferred items, and follow educational instructions within the typical classroom routine. This study shows the applicability of the IISCA and SBT when implemented within the classroom setting and when used to reintroduce educational instruction to an individual with autism after a prolonged break from school.

Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) refers to ambulation with a toe-to-toe gait in the absence of a known cause. Although it is exhibited by typically developing children, it is more common among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Persistent ITW can cause several long-term medical problems, including ankle deformities and balance and posture abnormalities. In the current study, we first conducted a series of no interaction or alone conditions to verify that ITW exhibited by four children with ASD persisted in the absence of social consequences. We then evaluated a hands-on-shoulder plus praise procedure in which gentle pressure is applied to participants' shoulders to prompt their heels to contact the ground, along with praise for appropriate steps in order to reduce ITW. Results suggest that the procedure was effective with all participants, and measures of social validity indicate that caregivers approved of the procedure. We discuss the results in terms of the putative mechanisms responsible for the effects of the procedure as well as the conditions under which the procedure might be used.

When teaching complex skills in higher education settings, different individuals may require different levels of instruction to achieve mastery. The current study replicated and extended Parry-Cruwys et al. (2022) by evaluating the effects of an online sequential training package on accuracy of APA citations with graduate students in behavior analysis. The intervention consisted of (a) a checklist of APA citation criteria, (b) online modules based on principles of behavioral instruction, and (c) email feedback. All components were delivered remotely through course management software and introduced sequentially such that participants experienced only the intervention necessary to meet the mastery criterion. Of 13 participants, seven required the checklist only, two required the checklist and online modules, and four required the checklist, modules, and feedback. An across participant acquisition analysis revealed additional response patterns that could inform the refinement of future training materials. This evaluation demonstrates an efficient mechanism for assessing skill acquisition at the level of the individual learner in the context of higher education.