Evaluating a treatment without extinction for elopement maintained by access to stereotypy

Area of Science:

• Behavioral science
• Autism spectrum disorder research
• Applied behavior analysis

Background:

• Elopement in children with autism is a significant safety concern.
• Understanding the function of problem behaviors is crucial for effective intervention.
• Stereotypy, like door play, can maintain challenging behaviors.

Observation:

• A functional analysis identified that a child's elopement was reinforced by access to stereotypy (door play).
• The behavior was triggered by the desire for sensory input or engagement in repetitive actions.
• The specific function of elopement was linked to the opportunity for stereotyped behavior.

Findings:

• Functional communication training (FCT) was implemented to teach alternative communication methods.
• Contingency-based delays were used, requiring the absence of elopement before allowing stereotypy.
• The intervention successfully increased the duration the child could wait before engaging in stereotypy, up to 10 minutes.

Implications:

• This study demonstrates the effectiveness of FCT and behavioral strategies in managing elopement in children with autism.
• Interventions targeting the function of behavior can lead to significant reductions in dangerous behaviors.
• The findings support the use of differential reinforcement and communication training in clinical practice for autism interventions.