A paradoxical effect of presession attention on stereotypy: antecedent attention as an establishing, not an abolishing, operation.
Previous studies have shown that presession attention for problem behavior can serve as an abolishing operation when attention functions as a positive reinforcer. In the current study, we show that the stereotypy of a child with severe disabilities was undifferentiated during standard analogue functional analysis conditions. However, when noncontingent presession attention was provided, stereotypy occurred for social attention as a positive reinforcer, suggesting that the antecedent manipulation functioned as an establishing operation.
Roantree
Christina F
CF
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37203, USA.
Kennedy
Craig H
CH
D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D005108:Extinction, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D019956:Stereotypic Movement Disorder / Q000628:therapy*