title: The effects of signaling stimulus presentation during noncontingent reinforcement.
abstract: The effects of signaling the return of items or attention during treatment with noncontingent reinforcement were examined. First, functional analyses showed that the problem behavior exhibited by 2 teenagers with developmental disabilities was sensitive to social positive reinforcement. Next, delivery of the stimulus that maintained problem behavior on a fixed-time (FT) schedule was compared to a condition in which the removal of the stimulus during the same FT schedule was immediately preceded by a statement indicating that the stimulus would be returned and the initiation of a digital timer. Results show that the FT schedule reduced problem behavior, and the addition of an informative statement and a timer further decreased problem behavior.
authors.affiliation: Florida Institute of Technology and Devereux Florida, 32901, USA.
authors.forename: Djimir
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gouboth
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wilder
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Booher
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012621:Seasons