This study examined differences in implicit and explicit memory performance between people with Down syndrome (DS), their siblings, children matched on mental age, and university undergraduates, using olfactory stimuli. The DS and mental-age matched participants were also compared on two tasks of executive function. The data revealed implicit…

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of cueing in visual search paradigm for people with and without intellectual disabilities (ID). A total of 36 subjects (18 persons with ID and 18 persons with normal intelligence) were recruited using convenient sampling method. A series of experiments were conducted to compare guided cue strategies using…

The authors compare two methods of identifying job preferences for individuals with significant intellectual disabilities. Three individuals with intellectual disabilities between the ages of 19 and 21 participated in a video-based preference assessment and a multiple stimulus without replacement (MSWO) assessment. Stimulus preference assessment…

In the current investigation, the results of a selection- and a duration-based preference assessment procedure were compared. A Multiple Stimulus With Replacement (MSW) preference assessment [Windsor, J., Piche, L. M., & Locke, P. A. (1994). "Preference testing: A comparison of two presentation methods." "Research in Developmental Disabilities,…

Although visual functions have been proposed to be enhanced in deaf individuals, empirical studies have not yet established clear evidence on this issue. The present study aimed to determine whether deaf children with diverse communication modes had superior visual memory and whether their performance was improved by the use of differential…

Previous researchers have used stimulus preference assessment (SPA) methods to identify salient reinforcers for individuals with developmental disabilities including tangible, leisure, edible and olfactory stimuli. In the present study, SPA procedures were used to identify potential auditory reinforcers and determine the reinforcement value of…

We review comparative studies of infant habituation and dishabituation performance focusing on preterm infants. Habituation refers to cognitive encoding, and dishabituation refers to discrimination and memory. If habituation and dishabituation constitute basic information-processing skills, and preterm infants suffer cognitive disadvantages, then…

This study examined the feasibility of the Atkinson Battery for Child Development for Examining Functional Vision (Atkinson, Anker, Rae, et al., 2002) to evaluate neurovisual functions of children with neurodevelopmental disorders in outpatient setting. A total of 90 patients underwent a comprehensive evaluation. Among these, a group of 33…

Ageing is related to significant declines in cognitive functioning. This effect can have a serious impact on the physical and psychological health of older adults as well as their quality of life. One phenomenon linked to cognitive deficits, particularly attention, that has been demonstrated to emerge with ageing is over-selectivity.…

Stimulus over-selectivity occurs when only one of potentially many aspects of the environment comes to control behavior. In three experiments, adult participants with no developmental disabilities were trained and tested in a match to samples (MTS) paradigm. Participants in Experiment 1 were assigned to one of two conditions, which differed on…

This study aimed to examine the use of a predictive stimulus (Time Timer[TM]) and delayed reinforcement to increase appropriate waiting behavior in a child with developmental disabilities and problem behavior maintained by access to tangible items and activities. The study employed a changing criterion design across settings to gradually increase…

The present study examined whether Snoezelen and Stimulus Preference environments have differential effects on disruptive and pro-social behaviors in adults with profound mental retardation and autism. In N = 27 adults these target behaviors were recorded for a total of 20 sessions using both multi-sensory rooms. Three comparison groups were…

How the type of representation (icons, photos of objects in context, photos of objects in isolation) displayed on a hand-held computer affected recognition performance in young adults with cognitive disabilities was examined. Participants were required to match an object displayed on the computer to one of three pictures projected onto a screen.…

A program relying on microswitch clusters (i.e., combinations of microswitches) and preferred stimuli was recently developed to foster adaptive responses and head control in persons with multiple disabilities. In the last version of this program, preferred stimuli (a) are scheduled for adaptive responses occurring in combination with head control…

We examined the behavior-altering effect of the motivating operation on challenging behavior during leisure activities for three individuals with severe disabilities. Prior functional analyses indicated that challenging behavior was maintained by positive reinforcement in the form of attention or tangible items for all participants. During leisure…