Reduction of Rapid Eating in an Adolescent Female with Autism

Rapid eating, a potentially dangerous and socially inappropriate behavior, has received relatively little attention in the literature. This study sought to extend the research in this area by further evaluating the effectiveness of a vibrating pager combined with a rule for increasing inter-response time between bites in one adolescent female diagnosed with autism. Results indicated that inter-response time increased from baseline only after a vocal prompt to "wait" was introduced across clinic and home settings. Implications for promoting autonomy in individuals with developmental disabilities are discussed.This antecedent-based intervention can easily be generalized to caregiversThe unobtrusive nature of the intervention allows for implementation in inclusive settingsThere are implications for promoting social skills in naturalistic environmentsThe intervention can promote independence through teaching self-management.