title: A technology-based stimulation program to reduce hand mouthing by an adolescent with multiple disabilities.
abstract: This study assessed the possibility of reducing hand mouthing, i.e., bringing fingers into or over the mouth, by an adolescent with multiple disabilities through a technology-based stimulation strategy. The strategy ensured that (a) the participant received 10 sec. of preferred stimulation contingent on the response of bringing both hands into a box with objects, and (b) the stimulation would be interrupted prematurely if the participant removed one or both hands from the box for 2 sec. The study involved an ABAB sequence (in which A represented baseline and B intervention phases) and a 3-mo. postintervention check. Data showed that the response of bringing both hands into the box increased from a mean frequency of about four per 10-min. session during baseline to a mean frequency of over 30 per session during the second intervention phase and the postintervention check. During these periods, the participant's mean hand-mouthing time per session was below 1.5 min. (compared to above 7 min. during baseline) and the mean stimulation time per session was about 4 min. Practical implications of the findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bari, Via Quintino Sella 268, 70100 Bari, Italy. g.lancioni@psico.uniba.it
authors.forename: Giulio E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Lancioni
authors.forename: Nirbhay N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Mark F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sigafoos
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Didden
authors.forename: Doretta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oliva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002658:Developmental Disabilities; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000379:methods; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009055:Mouth; D020336:Paraparesis, Spastic / Q000151:congenital / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010812:Physical Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D014110:Touch