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Improving a cerbral palsied child's typing with operant techniques
Perceptual and Motor Skills
|February 1, 1976
Summary
This study taught a 7-year-old girl with cerebral palsy to improve typing skills through reinforcement. Consistent practice and tangible rewards helped maintain her improved performance.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Behavioral Therapy
- Assistive Technology
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) often impacts motor skills, including typing.
- Early intervention and tailored therapies are crucial for individuals with CP.
- Behavioral interventions can be effective in teaching new skills to children with disabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the efficacy of a reinforcement-based intervention for improving typing skills in a child with cerebral palsy.
- To investigate the role of reinforcement in both skill acquisition and maintenance.
Main Methods:
- A single-subject design was employed.
- Reinforcement (contingent on correctly typed words) was used to teach two typing tasks.
- Tangible reinforcement was utilized to maintain the acquired typing behavior.
Main Results:
- The participant demonstrated increased correctly typed words following the introduction of reinforcement.
- The improved typing performance was maintained as long as tangible reinforcement was provided.
Conclusions:
- Contingency-based reinforcement is an effective method for teaching typing skills to children with cerebral palsy.
- Tangible reinforcement plays a critical role in the maintenance of learned behaviors in this population.