Results of a study involving six autistic children (3-10 years old) indicated that self-stimulation occurred significantly more often with unfamiliar than with familiar therapists. There was a significant and negative correlation between the occurrence of self-stimulation and correct responding. (Author/CL)

When neural events are analyzed as stimuli and responses, functional relations among them and among overt stimuli and responses can be unveiled. The integration of neuroscience and the experimental analysis of behavior is beginning to provide empirical evidence of involvement of neural events in the three-term contingency relating discriminative…

This study compared the occurrence and characteristics of self-stimulatory behaviors of 5 children with developmental delays and 10 nondisabled children (matched for either mental or chronological age). Few differences were found between groups in percentage of time spent in self-stimulatory behavior, the variety of such behaviors, the speed at…

The use of Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST) as a treatment procedure was evaluated with eight autistic children of two age groups: 6 to 8 years and 9 to 11 years. The stimulation of the environment was reduced to a minimum for 48 hours. Psychological assessment was performed as well as measures of Ss' learning rates on…

The reinforcing properties of four sensory stimuli (continuous and flashing light, vibration, and sound), which were under the subject's control, were examined and the effect on stereotyped behavior of 24 severely retarded and autistic children were observed. Findings were interpreted to support the self-stimulation theory of stereotypy despite…

In this case study, interactions were examined between features of Rett syndrome and operant conditioning as determinants of self-injurious behavior (SIB). Analysis suggested different functions for two forms of SIB: automatic reinforcement by sensory stimulation and escape from social interactions. Features of Rett syndrome tended to maximize the…