To Choose or Not to Choose?: a Systematic Literature Review Considering the Effects of Antecedent and Consequence Choice upon On-Task and Problem Behaviour

A practitioner's guide to emphasizing choice-making opportunities in behavioral services provided to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Promoting choice is a defining value guiding Positive Behavior Support (PBS) models for serving individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD). The ability to make independent choices is of paramount importance to self-advocacy and self-determination. Promoting choice is also an essential commitment of trauma-informed care (TIC) in the provision of services to vulnerable individuals, as trauma often involves experiences in which an individual has no control over aversive events that occur, and choice-making opportunities can empower traumatized individuals to regain control over the environments they routinely encounter. However, incorporating meaningful choice making into behavioral programming is often more difficult than it seems. We synthesize the relevant, contemporary literature to provide professionals with actionable suggestions for incorporating choice making into everyday behavioral services. After summarizing the importance of promoting choice into behavioral services based on the values that define both PBS and TIC frameworks, we (a) offer a behavior-analytic interpretation of the skill of making choices, (b) synthesize key literature on how to teach choice making skills, (c) provide recommendations for the situations within one's care in which choice-making opportunities may be most beneficial, and (d) discuss some of the barriers and potential solutions to incorporating choice-making opportunities for individuals with IDD.

Reducing perseverative requesting and other problem behavior in a young girl with autism: a sequentially implemented intervention package

Purpose

This study aims to use a sequentially implemented intervention package to reduce the occurrence of perseverative requesting and other problem behavior in a young girl with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Design/methodology/approach

In this single-case study, subsequent to a functional analysis and a preference assessment, an intervention package consisting of three components (i.e. a tolerance for delay to reinforcement, choice-making and visual schedule) was implemented sequentially to address perseverative requesting and other problem behavior maintained by access to preferred items/activities in a young girl with ASD.

Findings

Via the intervention package, the girl demonstrated higher self-control skills (i.e. delaying access to preferred items/activities, choosing more preferred items/activities with delayed access over less preferred ones with immediate access, completing tasks before having access to preferred items/activities) with a reduction of perseverative requesting or other problem behavior.

Originality/value

The current case study presents concrete steps that could be applied to address tangible-maintained perseverative requesting using more natural and educationally relevant signals while improving the child’s appropriate skills (e.g. delay to reinforcement, self-control and task engagement).

The impact of a telehealth platform on ABA-based parent training targeting social communication in children with autism spectrum disorder

Interventions based upon applied behaviour analysis (ABA) have been shown to be best practice for children with autism spectrum disorder. However, in many parts of the world there is a shortage of appropriately trained behaviour analysts. Telehealth is a potential solution to increasing access to ABA. Our study assessed the use of telehealth to provide parent training in naturalistic teaching strategies designed to increase child communication skills. Five parent child dyads took part in the training, utilising didactic training and synchronous coaching. Parents could be trained to a high level of fidelity and viewed the training favourably. Children showed variable gains in communication and improved positive affect. The project was cost effective in comparison with traditional training models.

Assessing the efficacy of and preference for positive and corrective feedback

Feedback is an effective strategy for improving performance and consists of multiple characteristics. One characteristic that can influence feedback efficacy is its nature (whether feedback is positive or corrective) and little is known about the conditions under which individuals may prefer corrective over positive feedback. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of and preference for positive and corrective feedback during the acquisition of novel tasks. In the first phase, participants received either positive, corrective, or no feedback across three novel tasks. Participants only mastered the task in which they received corrective feedback. In the second phase, participants chose to receive either positive or corrective feedback after completing trials of the previous phase's control task. All participants chose to receive corrective feedback more frequently than positive feedback. We discuss the implications of the results for feedback delivery in the workplace and provide suggestions for future research.

Psychiatric care for a person with MELAS syndrome: A case report

This report provides information for future clinicians who may be involved in treating patients with mitochondrial disorders manifesting with psychiatric problems, as literature in treatment is limited. The interventions focus on both carefully crafted medication therapy and nondrug methods to manage the challenging behaviors in a medically infirmed person.

An Evaluation of Assistive Technology in Determining Job-Specific Preference for Adults With Autism and Intellectual Disabilities

The transition to employment can be difficult for adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and intellectual disabilities (IDs). Currently, a limited number of ASD-specific career-planning tools exist within the literature, creating a challenge in terms of accurately identifying jobs that match individual preferences and strengths. This study evaluated the effects of a technology-based prework assessment on job performance among 3 adults with ASD and ID, aged 20-21 years prior to beginning supported employment. Three job conditions were established: a high-preference, high-skill-match job; a high-preference, low-skill-match job; and a low-preference, low-skill-match job. The 3 job conditions were evaluated using an alternating-treatments design with supported-employment sessions counterbalanced across a 6-week period. The results indicated that the high-preference job conditions produced higher levels of job performance irrespective of skill match. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.