K. Mark Derby

A Descriptive Evaluation of Long-Term Treatment Integrity.

The validity of selecting treatment contingencies on the basis of the results obtained through functional analysis is well documented. However, a number of second-generation questions have emerged: For example, what are the parameters required to achieve desired treatment outcomes? More specifically, what is the degree of treatment integrity needed for the successful reduction of problem behavior? This study had two purposes: to describe the relationship between treatment integrity levels and treatment effectiveness and to highlight the importance of reporting the treatment integrity in outcome-based research. The results indicate that a high level of treatment integrity is required for treatment success. Furthermore, the authors found that very low levels of integrity may be required for behavioral reduction procedures (i.e., extinction) if high levels of reinforcement are provided.

Behavior Intervention Planning and Implementation of Positive Behavioral Support Plans An Examination of States' Adherence to Standards for Practice

To address the behavioral needs of students with disabilities in school settings, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA) requires the development and implementation of a behavior intervention plan/positive behavioral support plan (BIP/PBSP) based on positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS). Despite the BIP/ PBSP mandate, there are no federal guidelines in place to direct school personnel. Many states have assumed responsibility for establishing policies governing BIPs/PBSPs. This investigation examined the resources acquired or developed and disseminated by state education agencies (SEAs) in all 50 states and compared the information available in these resources with standard practice for BIP/PBSP development and PBIS practice.

The Effects of Noncontingent and Contingent Attention for Self-Injury, Manding, and Collateral Responses

To date, most functional analysis studies have focused on the effects of treatment contingencies on specific targeted aberrant and altemative responses. In the current investigation, the main and collateral effects of the assessment and treatment of attention-maintained self-injury were assessed. Specifically, we evaluated the effects of noncontingent and contingent social attention on four categories of behavior: self-injury, a novel mand, preexisting prosocial responses (e.g., babbling and reaching out), and other aberrant responses (i.e., aggression and destruction). Results suggested that self-injury, prosocial responses, and other aberrant behaviors were within the same fmctional response class. Possible impact of these results when selecting mands for functional communication training is discussed.

Using Tracing and Modeling with a Handwriting Without Tears ® Worksheet to Increase Handwriting Legibility for a Preschool Student with Autism

The purpose of this study was to increase the legibility of letter writing using a tracing procedure derived from the Handwriting Without Tears ® program (1). Our participant was enrolled in a self-contained special education preschool classroom. The child was expected to move on to an integrated kindergarten during that next school year, so gaining handwriting skills and being able to write her name should increase her chances for success. During baseline, she could only write one of the six letters in her first name. When tracing the letters of her first name on a Handwriting Without Tears ® worksheet and then copying the letters, the writing of the letters in her name increased. Overall, our results suggest that the use of the Handwriting Without Tears ® worksheet along with a visual model can increase the participants ability to write letters. The efficacy of employing these procedures is discussed.

Effects of the Copy, Cover, and Compare Procedure on the Math and Spelling Performance of a High School Student with Behavioral Disorder: A Case Report.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the copy, cover, and compare (CCC) procedure on improving the mathematics and spelling performance of a freshman attending a high school special education class. The participant was a 16-year-old high school student enrolled in special education classes for 3 periods of the school day. Math problems consisted of single-and double-digit division and fractions. Spelling words used were at the 3rd-grade level. A multiple baseline design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of CCC. The results suggest that the CCC procedure can be used to improve accuracy in mathematics and spelling. The authors discuss the benefits of employing the CCC procedure for secondary students.

Effects of increased response effort and reinforcer delay on choice and aberrant behavior

A four-phase investigation was completed to analyze the utility of forced-choice preference assessments when response effort and reinforcer delays are altered within a subsequent reinforcer assessment. The results indicated that access to highly preferred stimuli continued to serve as a reinforcer when increased response effort was required. When reinforcer delay was increased, the utility of preferred stimuli to serve as a reinforcer was variable. Despite stimuli continuing to serve as reinforcers for academic task engagement, increased response effort and reinforcer delay resulted in an increased level of aberrant behavior.

Identification of Competing Reinforcers for Behavior Maintained by Automatic Reinforcement

A four-phase investigation was completed to reduce aberrant behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement. During Phase 1, a brief functional analysis determined the maintaining contingencies for aberrant behavior displayed by an 11-year-old boy with autism. The results of this analysis suggested that aberrant behavior was maintained by automatic reinforcement. During Phase 2, the participant was exposed to a series of different types of sensory stimuli. Noncontingent exposure to kinesthetic stimuli was shown to decrease aberrant behavior to near zero levels. Conversely, noncontingent exposure to auditory and visual stimuli did not decrease aberrant behavior. This combination of results suggested that noncontingent access to kinesthetic stimuli competed with the reinforcing effects of aberrant behavior. We hypothesized that kinesthetic stimuli served as substitutable reinforcers to the automatic reinforcement provided by aberrant behavior. We further hypothesized that, if this is the case, kinesthetic stimuli should also contain reinforcing properties for the acquisition of a competing response topography. This hypothesis was evaluated during Phases 3 and 4 in which contingent access to kinesthetic stimuli was shown to increase a competing response topography during short- and long-term treatment.

A Comparison of Forced-Choice Preference Assessment Procedures Using a Parent and Novel Therapist

Forced-choice preference assessments have been found to identify reinforcers. However, the utility of this procedure to identify similar reinforcers when conducted by different individuals is unknown. This investigation sought to determine whether a childs parent and a novel individual delivering the stimuli would yield the same results within forced-choice preference and subsequent reinforcer assessment procedures. During the forced-choice preference assessments, the child chose the same items. However, when the utility of these items as reinforcers was evaluated, different outcomes were found. The child chose to work for immediate reinforcers when the parent served as the therapist and to work for delayed rewards when a novel therapist was employed. The clinical significance of these outcomes is discussed.

The use of precision requests to decrease noncompliance in the home and neighborhood: A case study

ABSTRACT To decrease the noncompliance of a child with disabilities in the home and community, a precision request procedure was examined and evaluated in the home and community. Precision requests employed the following format: “Please (requested behavior).” The child was given 10 seconds to start to comply. If the child complied, praise, attention and access to her favorite toy was allowed. If she did not comply, a second command was issued: “You need to (requested behavior).” If this command were followed within 10 seconds by compliance, praise was given. If the child did not comply, she lost her stuffed toy for three minutes. The use of a precision request format was evaluated with an ABAB single subject design. The frequency of child noncompliance was recorded by parents and other child care providers during three separate times in the day (morning, afternoon, and evening). During both baseline conditions noncompliance was high. When precision requests were employed noncompliance decreased. The difference in compliance for baseline and the precision request procedure is statistically significant. Implications for employing removal of positive reinforcers and precision requests for children at home and in the community are discussed.

Use of Choice to Identify Behavioral Function Following an Inconclusive Brief Functional Analysis

In the current investigation, a concurrent operant paradigm was used with 3 young children who displayed severe problem behaviors to identify behavioral function. The children were given a series of choice options varying the availability of parent attention, access to preferred toys, and level of demand. The results showed that all children displayed differential patterns of behavior that appeared to be influenced by the presence or absence of attention and demands, suggesting a behavioral function. The results extended previous applications of reinforcer assessment procedures by using choice to identify antecedent conditions that set the occasion for problem behavior.