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Training self-feeding skills in children who are deaf and blind
1Psychological and Educational Resource Associates, Concord, MA 01742.
Insights
This study details two successful interventions for teaching self-feeding skills to children with combined visual and auditory impairments. The methods used, including reinforcement and prompt-fading, led to sustained skill development in participants.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Special Education
- Applied Behavior Analysis
Background:
- Limited research exists on effective self-feeding programs for children with combined visual and auditory impairments.
- Self-feeding is a crucial developmental milestone impacting independence and participation.
Observation:
- Two single-case studies were conducted on children with developmental disabilities and combined visual and auditory impairments.
- Study 1 involved a 7-year-old girl, utilizing prompting, prompt-fading, and sensory reinforcement.
- Study 2 focused on a 6-year-old boy, employing social reinforcement and response interruption.
Findings:
- Both participants demonstrated acquisition of independent self-feeding skills following the interventions.
- Skills were maintained at 4 and 8 months post-training, indicating long-term effectiveness.
- Interventions were implemented by direct-care providers in an educational setting.
Implications:
- The findings suggest that tailored behavioral interventions can effectively teach self-feeding to children with severe sensory impairments.
- These strategies can be adapted and implemented by educators and caregivers in various settings.
- Further research is warranted to explore the generalizability of these findings to a broader population.
Abstract:
There are very few studies that describe programs to train self-feeding skills in young children who are deaf and blind. This research reports two single-case studies on the acquisition of self-feeding in children with developmental disabilities and combined visual and auditory impairments. Study 1 included the use of prompting, prompt-fading, and contingent sensory reinforcement procedures to train independent self-feeding in a 7-year-old girl. Study 2 incorporated social reinforcement and response interruption to refine the self-feeding skills of a 6-year-old boy. Both studies were conducted by direct-care providers within an educational setting and reported maintenance of skill acquisition at 4 and 8 months posttraining.