title: Assessing a microswitch-based stimulation procedure for eye-blinking responses in a young woman with profound multiple disabilities.
abstract: We applied a new microswitch-based stimulation procedure for eye-blinking responses with a young woman with profound multiple disabilities, and compared effects of this procedure on the eye-blinking responses and smiling with the effects of a caregiver-based stimulation condition. Analysis showed that the microswitch-based stimulation procedure, with stimulation occurring contingent on eye-blinking responses, increased the frequencies of these responses significantly above the levels recorded in baseline and caregiver-based stimulation conditions. No changes in smiling frequencies occurred. Implications of the findings in terms of alertness, learning, and quality of life are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bari, Via Quintino Sella 268. 70100 Bari, Italy. g.lancioni@psico.uniba.it
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Lancioni
authors.forename: N N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Severini
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D001245:Association Learning; D001767:Blinking; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009633:Nonverbal Communication / Q000523:psychology; D012904:Smiling