title: An integrated model for guiding the selection of treatment components for problem behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement.
abstract: We evaluated the usefulness of 2 assessments to guide treatment selection for individuals whose prior functional analysis indicated that automatic reinforcement maintained their problem behavior. In the 1st assessment, we compared levels of problem behavior during a noncontingent play condition and an alone or ignore condition. In the 2nd, we assessed participants' relative preferences for automatic reinforcement and social reinforcers in a concurrent-operants arrangement. We used the results of these 2 assessments to assign 5 participants to a treatment based on noncontingent access to social reinforcers or to a treatment based on differential access to social reinforcers. We conducted monthly probes with the participants over 10 to 12 months to evaluate the effects of the treatment procedures. All participants showed reductions in problem behavior over this period.
authors.affiliation: The University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Wendy K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.affiliation: The University of Iowa.
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Wacker
authors.affiliation: The University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Joel E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Ringdahl
authors.affiliation: The University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stricker
authors.affiliation: The University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vinquist
authors.affiliation: The University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Anuradha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salil Kumar Dutt
authors.affiliation: The University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dolezal
authors.affiliation: The University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luke
authors.affiliation: The University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kemmerer
authors.affiliation: The University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Jayme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mews
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D005108:Extinction, Psychological; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D000066553:Problem Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012056:Reinforcement, Social; D013997:Time Factors; D014040:Token Economy
keywords: automatic reinforcement; competing reinforcers; concurrent operants; differential reinforcement; noncontingent reinforcement; problem behavior; self-injurious behavior