Application of a lag contingency to reduce perseveration on circumscribed interests

To evaluate the effects of a lag reinforcement contingency on the conversation topics of children diagnosed with autism who perseverated on circumscribed interests (CIs).

Single-case design study with two participants, age 11 and 12 years. A functional analysis employed an alternating-treatments design to assess effects of contingent attention on conversational behavior. A multiple-baseline with an embedded reversal design was employed in a subsequent lag contingency analysis, in which the conversation partner provided attention at the end of each 10 s interval if the content of the participant's conversation met the requirement of a Lag 0, Lag 1, or Lag 2 contingency.

The participants' conversational behavior was sensitive to a conversation-partner's attention as a consequence. Lag contingencies successfully altered the prevalence of CI-related and-unrelated talk.

Lag contingencies can shift conversation content away from CIs, but further research is needed to identify appropriate treatment goals with respect to variability and content.