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Galizio A, Odum AL. Reinforced behavioral variability in the valproate rat model of autism spectrum disorder. J Exp Anal Behav 2022; 117:576-596. [PMID: 35467762 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to display restricted, repetitive behaviors and deficits in social interaction. Rats exposed to valproate (VPA) in utero have been shown to model symptoms of ASD. In previous research, VPA rats engaged in less social interaction and more repetitive responding than controls. The purpose of the present study was to further investigate behavioral variability in the VPA rat model of ASD by testing VPA and control rats in a reinforced-behavioral-variability operant task. In this procedure, rats emitted sequences of lever presses, some of which produced food. During baseline, food was delivered probabilistically, and variability was not required. Next, rats were exposed either to a variability contingency, in which food was only delivered following sequences that differed sufficiently from previous sequences (i.e., variability required), or to a yoked contingency, in which variability was not required. We hypothesized that VPA rats would behave less variably than controls in this task. However, VPA and control rats responded similarly variably when variability was required. Furthermore, VPA rats behaved slightly more variably than controls during baseline and yoked conditions, when variability was not required. These findings contribute to the complex literature surrounding the VPA rat model of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Galizio
- Utah State University, Department of Psychology
| | - Amy L Odum
- Utah State University, Department of Psychology
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2
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Clements A, Fisher WW, Keevy M. Promoting the emergence of tacting three-digit numerals through a chain prompt combined with matrix training. J Appl Behav Anal 2021; 54:1405-1419. [PMID: 34216029 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty generalizing from directly trained responses to untrained responses (i.e., emergent responding). In this study, we used a chain prompt combined with matrix training to teach 2 participants with ASD to tact 192 three-digit numerals. We used a multiple-baseline design across matrices to evaluate the treatment effects on trained and untrained tacts of numerals. Both participants mastered all numerals exposed to training and all numerals not exposed to training after 3 to 5 sixteen-trial sessions per matrix. One participant learned to tact 8 numerals for each 1 numeral exposed to direct training, and the other participant learned to tact 12 numerals for each 1 numeral exposed to direct training. We discuss these results relative to the effectiveness and efficiency of our chain prompt combined with matrix training for teaching tacting skills for targets with shared stimulus properties that facilitate generalization to untrained targets.
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Halbur ME, Caldwell RK, Kodak T. Stimulus Control Research and Practice: Considerations of Stimulus Disparity and Salience for Discrimination Training. Behav Anal Pract 2021; 14:272-282. [PMID: 33732597 PMCID: PMC7900359 DOI: 10.1007/s40617-020-00509-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Stimulus control plays a prominent role in behavior-analytic service delivery, as many discrimination skills are necessary for daily interactions. Clarification and standardization of terminology are necessary for the advancement of research and practice on stimulus control. The purpose of the present article is to provide an overview of stimulus control and discrimination training as they relate to the disparity and salience of stimuli. An overview and examples of stimulus disparity and stimulus salience are provided, followed by recommendations for efficacious service delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E. Halbur
- Psychology Department, Marquette University, 525 N. 6th St., Milwaukee, WI 53212 USA
| | - R. Kyle Caldwell
- Psychology Department, Marquette University, 525 N. 6th St., Milwaukee, WI 53212 USA
| | - Tiffany Kodak
- Psychology Department, Marquette University, 525 N. 6th St., Milwaukee, WI 53212 USA
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4
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McCormack JC, Elliffe D, Virues-Ortega J. Enhanced Tact Acquisition Using the Differential Outcomes Procedure in Children with Developmental and Intellectual Disability. PSYCHOLOGICAL RECORD 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40732-020-00429-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Song CJ, Vladescu JC, Reeve KF, Miguel CF, Breeman SL. The influence of correlations between noncritical features and reinforcement on stimulus generalization. J Appl Behav Anal 2020; 54:346-366. [PMID: 32893351 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
One strategy to program for generalization is to vary noncritical features in teaching exemplars, thereby avoiding noncritical features from being highly correlated with reinforcement and thus gaining faulty stimulus control. In the current translational evaluation, 2 groups of adults of typical development were taught to respond to arbitrary stimuli with experimenter-defined critical and noncritical features in a matching-to-sample task. The teaching arrangement used for 1 group programmed for low correlation between noncritical features and reinforcement; the teaching arrangement used for the other group programmed for high correlation between noncritical features and reinforcement. Participants in the former group displayed (a) faster acquisition of matching, (b) less variability in correct responding, and (c) a decreased likelihood of faulty stimulus control developing during training. The results contribute towards advancing the study of stimulus control and developing an explicit technology of generalization to better serve consumers of the application of our science.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kenneth F Reeve
- Department of Applied Behavior Analysis, Caldwell University
| | - Caio F Miguel
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Sacramento
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Jessel J, Ma S, Spartinos J, Villanueva A. Transitioning from rich to lean reinforcement as a form of error correction. J Appl Behav Anal 2020; 53:2108-2125. [DOI: 10.1002/jaba.717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sophia Ma
- Department of Psychology, Queens College
| | - Joanna Spartinos
- Department of Psychology, Queens College
- St. Paul's Autism Research & Training Academy (SPARTA)
| | - Adriana Villanueva
- Department of Psychology, Queens College
- Behavioral Intervention Psychological Services, PC
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8
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Deshais MA, Vollmer TR. A preliminary investigation of fixed and repetitive models during object imitation training. J Appl Behav Anal 2019; 53:973-996. [PMID: 31742689 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Empirically based guidelines for imitation training for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are limited and there is no existing evidence about what types of imitative models foster faster acquisition of imitation in children with ASD. We compared rates of acquisition for two different methods for presenting the imitative model (i.e., repetitive, fixed) in simple (Experiment 1) and conditional (Experiment 2) discrimination arrangements. The results suggest that some children with ASD may acquire imitation more rapidly when repetitive models, rather than fixed models are used to present the target skill. In Experiment 3, we investigated the features of object imitation models that might influence acquisition. The results of Experiment 3 suggest that the dynamic nature of repetitive models might be responsible for the differential acquisition we observed in the earlier two Experiments. Additionally, the presence of an outcome (e.g., stacked blocks) during training does not enhance acquisition.
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Cubicciotti JE, Vladescu JC, Reeve KF, Carroll RA, Schnell LK. Effects of stimulus presentation order during auditory–visual conditional discrimination training for children with autism spectrum disorder. J Appl Behav Anal 2018; 52:541-556. [DOI: 10.1002/jaba.530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Pujol CN, Pellissier LP, Clément C, Becker JAJ, Le Merrer J. Back-translating behavioral intervention for autism spectrum disorders to mice with blunted reward restores social abilities. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:197. [PMID: 30242222 PMCID: PMC6155047 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0247-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The mu opioid receptor (MOR) plays a critical role in modulating social behavior in humans and animals. Accordingly, MOR null mice display severe alterations in their social repertoire as well as multiple other behavioral deficits, recapitulating core and secondary symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Such behavioral profile suggests that MOR dysfunction, and beyond this, altered reward processes may contribute to ASD etiopathology. Interestingly, the only treatments that proved efficacy in relieving core symptoms of ASD, early behavioral intervention programs, rely principally on positive reinforcement to ameliorate behavior. The neurobiological underpinnings of their beneficial effects, however, remain poorly understood. Here we back-translated applied behavior analysis (ABA)-based behavioral interventions to mice lacking the MOR (Oprm1-/-), as a model of autism with blunted reward processing. By associating a positive reinforcement, palatable food reward, to daily encounter with a wild-type congener, we were able to rescue durably social interaction and preference in Oprm1-/- mice. Along with behavioral improvements, the expression of marker genes of neuronal activity and plasticity as well as genes of the oxytocin/vasopressin system were remarkably normalized in the reward/social circuitry. Our study provides further evidence for a critical involvement of reward processes in driving social behavior and opens new perspectives regarding therapeutic intervention in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille N. Pujol
- 0000 0001 2157 9291grid.11843.3fMédecine Translationelle et Neurogénétique, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Inserm U-964, CNRS UMR-7104, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France ,0000 0004 0383 2080grid.461890.2Present Address: Département de Neurosciences, Institut de Génomique fonctionnelle, Inserm U-661, CNRS UMR 5203, 34094 Montpellier, France
| | - Lucie P. Pellissier
- 0000 0001 2182 6141grid.12366.30Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA UMR-0085, CNRS UMR-7247, IFCE, Université de Tours, Inserm, Nouzilly, France ,0000 0004 0383 2080grid.461890.2Present Address: Département de Neurosciences, Institut de Génomique fonctionnelle, Inserm U-661, CNRS UMR 5203, 34094 Montpellier, France
| | - Céline Clément
- 0000 0001 2157 9291grid.11843.3fLaboratoire Interuniversitaire en Sciences de l’Education et de la Communication, EA 2310, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jérôme A. J. Becker
- 0000 0001 2157 9291grid.11843.3fMédecine Translationelle et Neurogénétique, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Inserm U-964, CNRS UMR-7104, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France ,0000 0001 2182 6141grid.12366.30Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA UMR-0085, CNRS UMR-7247, IFCE, Université de Tours, Inserm, Nouzilly, France ,0000 0004 0383 2080grid.461890.2Present Address: Département de Neurosciences, Institut de Génomique fonctionnelle, Inserm U-661, CNRS UMR 5203, 34094 Montpellier, France
| | - Julie Le Merrer
- Médecine Translationelle et Neurogénétique, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Inserm U-964, CNRS UMR-7104, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France. .,Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA UMR-0085, CNRS UMR-7247, IFCE, Université de Tours, Inserm, Nouzilly, France.
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Weyman JR, Sy JR. Effects of neutral and enthusiastic praise on the rate of discrimination acquisition. J Appl Behav Anal 2018; 51:335-344. [PMID: 29446093 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that praise is an effective reinforcer; however, few researchers have evaluated whether qualitative differences in praise affect responding. The purpose of the current study was to compare the effects of neutral, enthusiastic, and no praise on the rate of matching-to-sample acquisition during discrete-trial training with adults diagnosed with autism and an intellectual disability. In addition, we evaluated preference for neutral, enthusiastic, and no praise. All three participants acquired responses slightly faster during the enthusiastic praise condition. Preference assessment results showed that one participant preferred enthusiastic praise, whereas the two other participants showed indiscriminate selections.
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