Previous studies of response classes in children and adults with developmental disabilities have shown that continuous reinforcement of mild problem behavior or precursor behavior (innocuous behaviors that reliably precede the occurrence of problem behavior) often precludes or decreases demonstrations of functionally equivalent severe problem behavior, even when severe problem behavior continues to produce reinforcement. The purpose of this study was to expand such examinations to the effects of reinforcing existing mands functionally equivalent to problem behavior. First, parent-implemented functional analyses identified conditions associated with both increased problem behavior and increased mands in two children with autism. Then, parents provided the maintaining reinforcer contingent on child problem behavior alone or both child problem behavior and child mands in an A-B-A-B withdrawal design. The treatment analysis indicated that the same reinforcer maintained existing mands and problem behavior. In addition, parent reinforcement of child mands was associated with large reductions in child problem behavior even when problem behavior continued to produce reinforcement. Future research should investigate functional relations between existing mands and problem behavior in other children with autism, and examine whether interventions targeting functionally equivalent existing mands may effectively reduce problem behavior in this population.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VANDERBILT/oai:VANDERBILTETD:etd-11302010-172507 |
| Date | 06 December 2010 |
| Creators | Robertson, Rachel Elizabeth |
| Contributors | Dr. Joseph Wehby, Dr. Mark Wolery, Dr. Mary Louise Hemmeter, Dr. Craig Kennedy, Dr. Frank Symons |
| Publisher | VANDERBILT |
| Source Sets | Vanderbilt University Theses |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.library.vanderbilt.edu/available/etd-11302010-172507/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to Vanderbilt University or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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