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A comparison of procedures for programming noncontingent reinforcement schedules
S W Kahng1, B A Iwata, I G DeLeon
1Neurobehavioral Unit, Kennedy Krieger Institute and The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
|July 8, 2000
Summary
Two noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) schedule-thinning methods effectively reduced self-injurious behavior (SIB) in individuals with intellectual disabilities. Both fixed increment and adjusting interval schedules maintained response suppression during treatment.
Area of Science:
- Behavior Analysis
- Clinical Psychology
- Developmental Disabilities
Background:
- Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is a significant challenge in individuals with intellectual disabilities.
- Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) is a common strategy for reducing SIB.
- Effective programming and thinning of NCR schedules are crucial for treatment success.
Observation:
- Three participants with intellectual disabilities exhibiting SIB maintained by positive reinforcement (attention or food) were studied.
- A multielement design was used to compare two NCR schedule-thinning procedures.
- One procedure used fixed increment thinning, while the other used adjusting interresponse time (IRT) thinning.
Findings:
- Both the fixed increment and adjusting IRT NCR schedule-thinning procedures were effective in initially reducing SIB.
- Both methods successfully maintained response suppression as the schedules were thinned.
- The study highlights the efficacy of tailored schedule-thinning approaches in NCR.
Implications:
- These findings suggest that both fixed increment and adjusting IRT thinning are viable options for programming NCR to treat SIB.
- Clinicians can select the most appropriate thinning procedure based on individual client characteristics and baseline responding.
- Further research may explore long-term maintenance and generalization of behavior change with these procedures.