Response covariation on self-stimulatory behaviors during sensory extinction procedures

The effects of sensory extinction procedures on nontargeted self-stimulatory behaviors of two autistic boys were assessed. In Experiment 1, the frequencies of two topographically similar behaviors of one child and two topographically dissimilar behaviors of the other child were examined within a reversal design. Application of sensory extinction for target behaviors resulted in a decrease in the topographically similar behavior, but no change in the dissimilar behavior. In Experiment 2, sensory extinction procedures were applied to three behaviors of one child using a multiple-baseline design. Two of these behaviors were topographically similar and all were maintained by the same sensory modality. Suppression occurred only for the topographically similar behavior. Results are discussed in terms of their treatment implications.