Lori A. Sisson

Effects Of Social Skills Training And Contingency Management On Reciprocal Interaction Of Preschool Children With Behavioral Handicaps

Four subjects participated in a study to evaluate the effects of various social interaction skill interventions on the social behavior of preschool children and the reciprocal nature of their interactions with peers. Intervention included social skills training conducted in a controlled instructional setting, as well as individual and group-oriented contingency management procedures implemented during free play. Subject performance was assessed with a behavioral role play test and via direct observation of subject and peer behavior in free play settings. Results indicated unique effects for social skills training and the two contingency management interventions. Social skills training alone produced significant improvement in the production of target social skills, as measured by role play, for 3 of 4 subjects. However, this intervention produced relatively modest effects on subject and peer behavior in free play. Prompts and praise for target behaviors delivered to individual subjects during free play (i.e., Coaching) produced significant change in rates of subject initiations and responses to peers and peer responses to subject initiations, but produced few changes in reciprocal interactions between subjects and peers. Prompts and praise delivered to total play groups (i.e., Group Coaching) produced desired effects on peer behavior, but had less effect on interactive behavior of subjects. These results are discussed with respect to the role of reciprocal interaction and behavioral trapping for producing maintenance and generalization in social interaction interventions for preschool children with behavioral handicaps.

Handbook of Aggressive and Destructive Behavior in Psychiatric Patients

A comprehensive handbook that contains 28 chapters organized into five sections. Part I focuses on theoretical perspectives and includes biological, physiological, ethological, sociological, social psychological, psychoanalytic, and humanistic points of view. Part II considers such general issues as

Peer Interventions Increasing Social Behaviors in Multihandicapped Children

The efficacy of peer-mediated intervention for increasing social behaviors in blind, multihandicapped children was examined in a multiple-baseline analysis. Two nonhandicapped peers were trained to direct social initiations to four multihandicapped subjects during free play. An increase in play initiations by peers served to increase social behaviors in multihandicapped subjects. Moderate generalization of treatment effects was obtained under circumstances that differed from the intervention condition in that peers were present but not administering treatment. Maintenance of treatment gains was evidenced at a four-month follow-up. This study expands the literature on social skills training of the blind by targeting young, multihandicapped children with age-relevant skills, and on peer-mediated intervention by focusing on socially withdrawn children whose condition is complicated by severe physical disabilities.

Increasing Social Interactions in Deaf-Blind Severely Handicapped Young Adults

The effectiveness of prompting and positive reinforcement for increasing on-task behavior and social interactions in two deaf-blind severely handicapped young adults was examined. Treatment was conducted in a leisure setting in which subjects participated in games requiring social interchange. On-task behavior was initially targeted and treatment efficacy evaluated with a withdrawal design. After demonstration of experimental control, treatment was then implemented with social interactions in a multiple baseline design. Results showed increased percentages of on-task social interactions for both subjects with introduction of treatment. In addition, rates of non-targeted self-stimulatory responses were observed to decrease concurrently with treatment for target behaviors. Results are discussed in terms of the utility of behavioral strategies with deaf-blind persons and the importance of improved social performance in these individuals.

A graduated guidance procedure for teaching self-dressing skills to multihandicapped children

The effectiveness of a graduated guidance procedure for increasing independence in dressing was examined in a multiple baseline analysis across behaviors. Two multihandicapped children were trained to dress in socks, pants, and shirt. In training sessions, subjects completed the entire sequence of steps involved in putting on the training garment on each trial. Trainer assistance was provided as necessary, but was faded systematically according to a hierarchy of intrusiveness. Positive reinforcement was delivered contingent on dressing with increased independence. Assessment of independent responses followed each training session. Dependent measures were derived from a task analysis of each dressing behavior. Results showed that both children learned dressing skills, although rates of acquisition varied considerably. Generalization of treatment effects to similar garments was observed; maintenance of skills was evident at follow-up probes conducted at 36 weeks for one child and 18 weeks for the other.

Tripartite behavioral intervention to reduce stereotypic and disruptive behaviors in young multihandicapped children

A comprehensive, tripartite intervention to reduce maladaptive stereotypic and disruptive behaviors exhibited by three young multihandicapped children was carried out. First, preferred stimuli were systematically identified for each child by scoring approach responses to each of 18 stimulus items. Highly preferred stimuli were used as positive reinforcers in DRO behavior management programs. Second, behavioral interventions were applied and evaluated in multiple-baseline designs within a laboratory classroom setting. Momentary DRO plus immobilization time-out and momentary DRO combined with overcorrection were found to be effective in reducing disruptive and/or stereo-typic behaviors. Third, efficacy of treatments was demonstrated in the regular classroom environment using A-B-A-B experimental designs. In two cases, behavioral programs were gradually faded to facilitate application by classroom staff. Concurrent effects of treatment, trainer compliance, and cost effectiveness were monitored throughout the study. Gains were maintained across five-month follow-up period.

Improving the performance of youth with dual sensory impairment: Analyses and social validation of procedures to reduce maladaptive responding in vocational and leisure settings*

One group that presents special problems for vocational and leisure skills interventions comprises persons who are severely handicapped and deaf-blind. To date, the focus of many treatment programs for this population has been on reduction of nonfunctional, interfering, or harmful behaviors, such as stereotypy, self-injury, and aggression. Although deceleration procedures have been shown to reduce maladaptive responding, there are few data available to determine whether decreasing inappropriate responses impacts on adaptive functioning in natural environments. Such data are especially important, given the emergence of groups proscribing the use of many behavior reduction strategies. Thus, the current investigation attempted to assess both direct and concurrent effects as well as the social validity of a combined differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) plus overcorrection program to eliminate behavior problems exhibited by two youths with profound mental retardation and deaf-blindness. Results indicated: (a) Maladaptive behaviors were controlled with behavioral interventions, and effects were maintained for at least 6 months; (b) concurrent effects of treatment included increased time on-task and increased productivity, neither of which was targeted directly; and (c) subjects performance in vocational settings was rated by independent judges as significantly improved following treatment.

Situation Specificity in Attention-Seeking Problem Behavior A Case Study

Previous research on attention-seeking problem behavior has focused on individuals who misbehaved under general conditions of low adult attention. In general, no detailed analyses were conducted to determine whether different situations involving low levels of adult attention (such as familiar vs. unfamiliar adults, setting events, or the presence or absence of peers) exacerbated or attenuated problem behavior. The current case study demonstrates that, for one adolescent, all situations involving low levels of adult attention were not equally discriminative for problem behavior. Two functional analyses concerning different situations involving low levels of adult attention were conducted. The first analysis consisted of systematically manipulating antecedent and consequence conditions related to adult attention and task demands. This analysis indicated that low levels of adult attention evoked problem behavior. The second analysis involved two different conditions presenting low levels of adult attention. In one, the adult spoke to another child; in the second, the adult spoke to another adult. This second analysis revealed that, when the adult spoke to another adult, problem behavior resulted. However, when the adult spoke to another child, problem behavior did not occur. On the basis of these functional analyses, a positive intervention was designed to reduce problem behavior. Theoretical implications related to functional analysis are discussed, and applied issues concerning functionally based treatment selection are explored.

Behavioral Interventions to Reduce Maladaptive Responding in Youth with Dual Sensory Impairment An Analysis of Direct and Concurrent Effects

Many persons who have multiple sensory, physical, and developmental disabilities display behaviors that interfere significantly with adaptive functioning and social acceptance. In this investigation, the efficacy of multiple component behavioral interventions for reducing maladaptive responding exhibited by two individuals with dual sensory impairment and profound mental retardation was evaluated. Results indicated that differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) approaches were not effective in either case. However, when deceleration procedures (overcorrection or brief physical restraint) werc added, target behaviors decreased quickly. Also, interventions were faded in such a way that gains were maintained for 6 months with only minimal effort by staff. Ongoing assessment of concurrent effects of behavior reduction strategies revealed increases in time on task or amount of work completed, even though these responses were not targeted specifically. Yet negative side effects (e.g., increases in self-stimulation) also were documented, highlighting the importance of evaluating multiple behaviors during intervention. Finally, despite the fact that objective assessments led to positive conclusions regarding treatment efficacy, ratings of baseline and treatment behavior samples by independent judges showed overall improvement in only one case. These findings suggest the need for multifaceted evaluation to determine the utility of interventions in applied settings.

Improving mealtime behaviors through token reinforcement. A study with mentally retarded behaviorally disordered children.

In the present study the effectiveness of a token reinforcement program in improving mealtime behaviors of four mentally retarded, behaviorally disordered children was evaluated using the multiple baseline design across behaviors. Participants were residents on an inpatient psychiatric hospital program for children. Target behaviors included appropriate utensil use, appropriate napkin use, chewing with mouth closed, and good posture. Training was implemented in a group setting and consisted of verbal instructions, modeling, manual prompts, and token reinforcement delivered at preprogrammed variable intervals signaled by a tape recording. Results showed acquisition of target behaviors in 20 to 40 sessions. Further, behavioral gains were judged to be clinically significant by a group of independent observers.