Behavioral contrast during the acquisition of speechreading

Area of Science:

• Speechreading and Auditory Rehabilitation
• Behavioral Psychology
• Pediatric Audiology

Background:

• Children with hearing impairments often face challenges in developing speechreading abilities.
• Effective pedagogical strategies are crucial for improving communication skills in hearing-impaired individuals.
• Understanding behavioral principles can optimize learning in special education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of token reinforcement in teaching speechreading to hearing-impaired children.
• To examine the role of positive behavioral contrast in the acquisition of speechreading skills.
• To assess the effectiveness of a structured learning procedure for speechreading training.

Main Methods:

• A multiple baseline design across sets of objects was employed for two hearing-impaired children.
• Object names were divided into three sets for systematic training.
• Token reinforcement was delivered contingent upon correct speechreading responses, with extinction phases introduced.

Main Results:

• Token reinforcement significantly increased the frequency of correct speechreading responses for trained object names.
• Both participants displayed positive behavioral contrast, showing improved performance when reinforcement contingencies changed.
• The contrast effect facilitated learning, indicating a beneficial interaction between reinforcement and extinction.

Conclusions:

• Token reinforcement is an effective method for teaching speechreading skills to hearing-impaired children.
• Positive behavioral contrast can enhance the learning process during speechreading acquisition.
• The study validates a procedure for improving speechreading abilities in pediatric populations with hearing loss.