Using a stimulus correlated with reprimands to suppress automatically maintained eye poking.
A functional analysis indicated that chronic eye poking exhibited by a woman with profound mental retardation persisted in the absence of social contingencies. We initiated a procedure in which a therapist delivered a punisher (mild reprimand) contingent on eye poking in the presence, but not the absence, of a neutral stimulus (wristbands). Subsequently, eye poking was suppressed when the participant wore the wristbands in novel environments without the reprimand contingency.
McKenzie
Scott D
SD
University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203, USA.
Smith
Richard G
RG
Simmons
Jason N
JN
Soderlund
Michael J
MJ
D001245:Association Learning; D001332:Automatism / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005793:Generalization, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012057:Reinforcement, Verbal; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D012931:Social Environment; D014163:Transfer, Psychology