Behavior modification: effects on reverse tailor sitting in children with cerebral palsy

The effect of rewarding desirable sitting positions in six children with cerebral palsy (mean age of 3.7 years) was examined. Each subject's sitting behavior was documented at home under both pretreatment and treatment conditions. Treatment of all subjects consisted of rewarding the use of positions other than the reverse tailor sitting position. In addition, half of the subjects were asked to sit in desirable positions. All subjects demonstrated significant increases in the frequency and duration of desirable sitting positions after the onset of treatment. Those children asked to sit in desirable positions showed even greater increases, but only initially. Sitting behavior was documented (but not treated) in another setting, before and after treatment was insituted in the home. Four subjects showed some increases in the frequency of desirable sitting in the other setting. Further research is suggested in the management of reverse tailor sitting at home and in school.