Stereotyped behaviour, alternative behaviour and collateral effects: a comparison of four intervention procedures

The effects of four procedures (i.e. a mild slap to the forearm, differential reinforcement of an alternative behaviour (DRA), overcorrection plus DRA, and a mild slap plus DRA), on a sterotyped behaviour, an alternative behaviour, and collateral self-injurious behaviours of a profoundly retarded five-year-old girl were assessed in a modified multiple baseline, reversal design. A mild slap resulted in rapid suppression of target and nontarget behaviours. During DRA, a slight increase was achieved in the target behaviour. However, no suppression of the other behaviours were evidenced. Overcorrection plus DRA proved relatively ineffective both in suppressing the target stereotyped behaviours and in accelerating the alternative behaviour. The most effective procedure was mild slap plus DRA. Near zero suppression of the stereotyped behaviour was attained on the first day of implementation, collateral self-injurious behaviours were virtually eliminated, and alternative behaviour increased dramatically. There was some evidence for generalisation across trainers, settings, and time.