We evaluated the effects of fixed-interval (FI), fixed-time (FT), and conjoint (combined) FI FT reinforcement schedules on the responding of 3 adults who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Responding on vocational tasks decreased for 2 of 3 participants under FT alone relative to FI alone. Responding under FI FT resulted in response…

Most treatments for stereotypy involve arrangements of antecedent or consequent events that are imposed entirely by a therapist. By contrast, results of some studies suggest that self-recording, a common component of self-management interventions, might be an effective and efficient way to reduce stereotypy. Because the procedure typically has…

Seven adults participated in simulated teaching sessions with an experimenter who role played as a student with developmental disabilities. The experimenter engaged in problem behavior and either (a) terminated problem behavior contingent on participant reprimands (negative reinforcement) or (b) did not terminate problem behavior contingent on…

A functional analysis suggested that rumination exhibited by an adult with autism was maintained by automatic reinforcement. Next, a preference assessment with three flavor sprays (i.e., flavored sprays used by dieters) showed that apple pie spray was most preferred. Finally, the effects of fixed-time delivery of the apple pie spray on levels of…

The current study examined the utility of multiple-exemplar training to teach children with autism to share. Stimuli from 3 of 4 categories were trained using a treatment package of video modeling, prompting, and reinforcement. Offers to share increased for all 3 children following the introduction of treatment, with evidence of skill maintenance.…

Although delusional statements in people with intellectual disabilities and traumatic brain injury can be treated using behavioral interventions, none have demonstrated long-term treatment effects. In the current study, a functional analysis demonstrated that delusional statements were maintained by attention. Differential reinforcement of…

Preference for mand topography was evaluated for 2 individuals with developmental disabilities who exhibited problem behavior. The results of a functional analysis showed that each participant's problem behavior was maintained by social reinforcement. Participants were taught two novel mand topographies for the same functional reinforcer, and each…

This study examined whether problem behaviors of three adults with profound mental retardation, which had been maintained by continuous reinforcement schedules, could be extinguished more rapidly than those maintained on an intermittent schedule of reinforcement. No significant differences in extinction rate were found between the two conditions.…

A study involving 21 individuals with mental retardation found functional communication training (FCT) with extinction was effective in reducing problem behavior in the majority of cases; however, when demand or delay-to-reinforcement fading was added, treatment efficacy decreased. FCT with punishment resulted in a reduction in problem behavior…

A study evaluated the utility of a five-minute stimulus preference assessment for 20 individuals with developmental disabilities. The brief assessment identified stimuli that functioned as reinforcers for a simple operant response and identified preferred stimuli that were differentially effective as reinforcers. This assessment was associated…

Five experiments with severely retarded noncompliant males made use of behavioral momentum to increase compliance. A series of commands with which the subject was very likely to comply were issued immediately prior to issuing a low-probability command. Results indicated increased compliance and decreased compliance latency and task duration.…

The effects of variable-interval (VI) and fixed-ratio (FR) schedules of reinforcement for work-related behavior and an organizer for the work materials (behavioral prosthesis) were evaluated with 3 adults with severe or profound mental retardation. The participants had been recommended for study because of high rates of off-task and aberrant…

A study compared the effects of extinction (EXT) and fixed-time (FT) schedules as treatment for the severe problem behaviors of three individuals with developmental disabilities. During EXT, the reinforcer maintaining problem behavior was withheld. During FT, the reinforcers were presented response independently at preset intervals. FT schedules…

An alternating treatments design was used to compare gentle teaching, visual screening, and a task-training condition in the reduction of high-level stereotypy of three persons (aged 7, 21, and 28) with mental retardation. Visual screening produced the greatest and most consistent decrease, while gentle teaching was found to have limited…

The efficacy of noncontingent reinforcement with variable-time (VT) schedules was evaluated by comparing the effects of VT and fixed-time (FT) reinforcement schedules with two individuals with moderate to severe mental retardation and severe behavior problems. Both VT and FT schedules were effective in reducing problem behavior. (Contains…