Behavior Modification最新文献

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a progressive functional analysis (FA) model and function-based intervention delivered by caregivers with coaching via telehealth. Children diagnosed with autism and at least one caregiver (e.g., parent) participated in the study. We conducted three assessments prior to and following intervention: a researcher-developed 10-min observation, the Parental Stress Index, and the externalizing section of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Rating Scales, Third Edition (VABS-3). We included 47 participants in the present evaluation of the progressive FA model. We identified the function of challenging behavior for 36 participants. A function was not identified for nine participants who exhibited low or no challenging behavior during the assessment; the results were inconclusive for two participants. For the 17 participants who participated in the intervention evaluation phase, each of the participants achieved the mastery criterion, which was an 80% reduction in challenging behavior for most participants. Additionally, there was a statistically significant decrease in the VABS-3 externalizing behavior measure from pre- to post-assessment, although neither of the other pre-post measures resulted in statistically significant changes. This study replicates and extends previous research, supporting the use of progressive FA model and function-based interventions to improve challenging behavior.

Complex motor stereotypies are rhythmic, repetitive, fixed, and non-goal directed movements (e.g., bilateral flapping/waving movements of the hands/arms). Movements typically begin in early childhood and can occur in otherwise normally developing ("primary") or autistic ("secondary") children. Stereotypies persist, occur multiple times a day, have prolonged durations, can be socially stigmatizing, and may lead to bullying and isolation. Prior behavioral treatment studies have focused on older children (ages 6-12) and report modest reductions in stereotypy (i.e., between 14% and 33%). The current study involves the functional assessment and treatment of five children with Primary Complex Motor Stereotypy using a modified awareness training procedure, differential reinforcement of other behavior, and schedule thinning in a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design. Results suggest a 99% reduction of motor stereotypy from baseline across all participants.

Deficits in positive emotion regulation skills may be an important factor in the development and maintenance of anxiety and mood disorders. A treatment, which includes strategies to build and strengthen positive emotion regulation skills has been provided to patients primarily diagnosed with an anxiety and or mood disorder in an adult mental health outpatient service setting. To study the effects on positive and negative emotion, emotion regulation skills, emotional disorder symptoms, quality of life, and wellbeing during a new developed treatment. An exploratory clinical trial was used to conduct a preliminary assessment of a novel intervention. The intervention was provided in a group format over a 6-week period and independent practice over an 8-week period. Outcome variables were assessed pre- and post-treatment and at a 2-month follow up. Life quality, subjective wellbeing ratings, depressive and anxiety symptoms improved at follow up. The data suggests that the intervention may have the potential to produce desired change in positive emotion regulation. Preliminary findings suggest the intervention can have beneficial effects. These findings are promising and support the possibility that disturbances in positive emotion regulation may be a generative target for treatment research.

School refusal behaviors in adolescents have deleterious immediate and long-term consequences and are associated with mental ill-health such as anxiety and depression. Understanding factors that place youth at higher risk of school refusal behavior may assist in developing effective management approaches. We investigated parental and adolescent factors that may be associated with school refusal behaviors by specifically focusing on the role of parental and adolescent emotion dysregulation, their anxiety and depression, and parental rearing style. First, we hypothesized that adolescents with school refusal behaviors, as well as their parents, will report higher levels of emotion dysregulation, anxiety, and depression compared to their counterparts without school refusal behaviors. Furthermore, we hypothesized that multivariate models testing the role of parental and child factors concurrently will show that parental (emotion dysregulation, anxiety and depression, and rearing styles) and adolescent (emotion dysregulation, anxiety, and depression) factors are associated with school refusal behaviors. One hundred and six adolescents aged 12 to 18 years and their parents completed an online questionnaire measuring both parental and adolescent emotion dysregulation, anxiety, depression, parental rearing styles, and adolescents' school refusal behaviors. Adolescents with school refusal behaviors reported greater anxiety and depression, with their parents showing greater emotion dysregulation. Multivariate analyses showed that parental emotion dysregulation and adolescent age were associated with school refusal behaviors independently. Future management for school refusal behaviors should consider age-tailored approaches by incorporating training for parental emotion regulation skills.

Ecological validity refers to the meaningfulness or practical significance of research outcomes in everyday settings or the extent to which an intervention can be implemented by typical people during naturally occurring opportunities. In education, ecological validity may contribute to the adoption of interventions by teachers working with students in school settings. Our purpose in this review was to examine the evidence for ecological validity of functional communication training (FCT) used to address challenging behavior in school-age individuals with disabilities. We reviewed 19 single-case experimental design (SCED) studies published between 1985 and 2023. First, we used the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Standards to evaluate the empirical evidence of each study. Second, we evaluated the extent to which behavioral assessment and FCT procedures were described in the 15 studies that met the WWC Standards. Third, we conducted a systematic analysis of the evidence for ecological validity of behavioral assessment and FCT. Results indicate that 95% of the SCED studies met the WWC Standards. The description of procedures was complete for 50% of the behavioral assessments and for 11% of the FCT. The overall evidence for ecological validity was moderate for 16.7% and low for 83.3% of the behavioral assessments. The evidence for ecological validity for all FCT procedures was low. Future research and implications related to ecological validity are discussed.

Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit generalization errors following mand training. In this study, we extended the literature on the generalization of positively reinforced explicit mands in three young children with ASD and complex communication needs. First, we used mand training to teach a new, socially appropriate, positively reinforced explicit mand to request preferred toys. Second, we assessed the discriminated generalization of the newly acquired mand by using untrained examples and nonexamples. Results suggest that our mand training resulted in acquisition of a discriminated positively reinforced explicit mand in all three children. Overgeneralization was documented for one of the three children included in the study. We discuss implications for researchers and practitioners related to the importance of assessing for generalization errors following mand training.

Competing stimulus assessments (CSA) are effective tools for identifying stimuli that compete with automatically reinforced behavior. However, Jennett et al. suggests there are cases for which non-contingent access to competing stimuli are insufficient at decreasing target responding and additional treatment components may be necessary. The purpose of the current study was to examine procedural variations (i.e., rotating competing items and prompted engagement) when presenting competing stimuli on increasing functional engagement and decreasing stereotypy. Following a functional analysis, a CSA was conducted to identify competing stimuli for four individuals with autism. Items identified were then used with two procedural variations. Levels of stereotypy, functional engagement, and item contact were measured. Results showed that for two participants both treatments were effective, while for the other two participants prompting functional engagement was more effective. Prompting functional engagement is likely a productive strategy for enhancing engagement with competing stimuli for automatically reinforced problem behavior as it may result in functional engagement becoming reinforcing in and of itself.

Behavior therapy is a well-established and empirically supported treatment for tic disorders (TDs). However, concerns have been expressed about the negative effects of behavioral interventions, such as tic worsening, tic substitution, and excessive effort. This study explored perceived negative effects of tic management strategies in adults with TDs and predictors of these experiences. Participants (N = 72) completed semi-structured interviews 11 years after receiving behavior therapy or supportive therapy in a randomized clinical trial. We examined responses to interview questions about managing tics and predictors of reported negative effects. Most participants did not experience tic worsening (84%) or tic substitution (75%) from tic management strategies. The majority felt they could manage tics while participating in their environment (87%) and did not report life interference from tic management (77%). About half (45%) felt less present when managing tics. Treatment non-responders in the original trial were more likely to report negative effects of tic management strategies. No differences in reported negative consequences were found between those who received behavior therapy versus supportive therapy, suggesting that behavior therapy specifically does not lead to such adverse effects. These findings could reduce misconceptions about behavior therapy for TDs and enhance its acceptability and utilization.

There are numerous effect measures researchers can select when conducting a meta-analysis of single-case experimental design research. These effect measures model different characteristics of the data, so it is possible that a researcher's choice of an effect measure could lead to different conclusions about the same intervention. The current study investigated the impact of effect measure selection on conclusions about the effectiveness of check-in check-out (CICO), a commonly used intervention within School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. Using a multilevel meta-analysis of seven different effect measures across 95 cases in 22 studies, findings suggested that all effect measures indicated statistically significant results of CICO in improving student behavior. However, the magnitude of the effects varied when comparing the results to interpretive guidelines, suggesting that the selection of effect measures may impact conclusions regarding the extent to which an intervention is effective. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.