Overview Prior Ritualistic Behavior Literature Study 1 Assessment - - PDF document

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An Assessment and Treatment of Problem Behavior Maintained by Access to Rituals

Jonathan Fernand and Timothy R. Vollmer

Overview

• Prior Ritualistic Behavior Literature
• Study 1 – Assessment

– Method – Results

• Study 2 – Treatment Evaluation

– Method – Results

• Discussion & Future Research

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Ritualistic Behavior

• Impedes learning opportunities
• Response topographies

– Repetitive body movement – Stereotyped object manipulation – Compulsive behavior – Insistence on “sameness” – Circumscribed interests – Self-injurious behavior

Related Literature

• Rodriguez et al., 2012

– Functional analyses of item arranging – Competing items + Blocking

• Leon et al., 2013

– Blocking analyses of aggression – Functional Communication Training (FCT) + Extinction (EXT)

• Rispoli et al., 2014

– Functional analyses of aggression – FCT + EXT + Schedule thinning

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Study 1 – Assessment Purpose

• Replicate prior functional analysis procedures

in the assessment of aggression related to item arranging

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Method

Subject Age Item Arranging Response(s) Aggression Abby 13 Arranging and straightening

• bjects moved from their
• riginal location

Pushing, prying fingers off of held items Remy 5 Repetitive play with items used to build light posts and telephone poles Hitting, kicking, throwing items at experimenter Cameron 3 Repetitive play with block structures, shopping cart with food, and toy cars Hitting, kicking, throwing items at experimenter

Method

• Initial Functional Analyses
• Conditions:

– Play (Control)

• Continuous attention
• Therapist did not interact with items

– Blocking

• Item displacement on an FT 30-s schedule
• Aggression  access to item arranging

– Item Displacement

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 Abby Item Displacement Play (Control) Blocking Sessions Rate of Aggression 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 Remy Item Displacement Play (Control) Blocking Sessions Rate of Aggression

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 Cameron Item Displacement Play (Control) Blocking Sessions Rate of Aggression

Study 2 – Treatment Evaluation

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Purpose

• Evaluate schedule thinning in the treatment of

item arranging

• Evaluate continuously versus briefly signaled

delays

Method

• Design

– Reversal design with probes of the terminal 60-s continuously and briefly signaled delay

Subject Age Item Arranging Response(s) FC Response Abby 13 Arranging and straightening

• bjects moved from their
• riginal location

“Can I move it?” Remy 5 Repetitive play with items used to build light posts and telephone poles “Please don’t touch (object).” Cameron 3 Repetitive play with block structures, shopping cart with food, and toy cars “Stop, please.”

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Method

• Baseline

– Item displacement on an FT 30-s schedule – Aggression  access to item arranging

• FCT + EXT
• Delay probes

– 60-s continuously signaled delay – 60-s briefly signaled delay

• Schedule thinning

– 5 s, 10 s, 15 s, 20 s, 25 s, 60 s

20 40 2

60-s Delay (Continuous Signal) 60-s Delay (Brief Signal)

5s 10s

BL BL FCT FCT Reinforcement-delay Fading & Probes Immediate Reinforcement

Rate of Aggression 20 40 2

5s 10s

Sessions Rate of Mands

Abby

Schedule Thinning & 60-s Delay Probes

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20 40 60 2 4 6

BL BL FCT FCT

5s 10s 15s 20s

Reinforcement-delay Fading & Probes 60-s Delay (Continuous Signal) 60-s Delay (Brief Signal) Immediate Reinforcement

Rate of Aggression 20 40 60 2 4 6

20s 15s 10s 5s

Sessions Rate of Mands Remy

Schedule Thinning & 60-s Delay Probes

10 20 2 4 6

60-s Delay (Continuous Signal) 60-s Delay (Brief Signal) BL BL FCT FCT Reinforcement-delay Probes Immediate Reinforcement

Rate of Aggression 10 20 2 4 6 Sessions Rate of Mands

Cameron

Schedule Thinning & 60-s Delay Probes

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Discussion & Future Research

• FCT effective means to decrease problem

behavior

• Schedule thinning was effective in limiting

mands and item arranging

• Utility of terminal probes

– Increased delays to reinforcement – Continuous versus brief delays

Thank you!