Browsing by Subject "Functional communication training"
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Item An evaluation of mixed, fixed, and no delays to reinforcement on problem behavior, preference, and task engagement(2022-08-14) Ramirez-Cristoforo, Andrea; Falcomata, Terry S.; Ringdahl, Joel E.; Doabler, Christian T.; O'Reilly, Mark FThe proposed study aimed to replicate and extend basic and applied literature pertaining to functional communication training (FCT), delays to reinforcement, concurrent schedules of reinforcement, problem behavior (e.g., escape maintained), and task engagement in individuals with autism. Specifically, we evaluated the effects of presenting a 0-s delay, a mixed delay (0, 30-s) and a fixed delay (15-s) within a concurrent schedule arrangement on problem behavior, preference, and task engagement among three individuals with ASD. An ABAB reversal single-case design was conducted during the current study. During this evaluation, the quality of the reinforcement was manipulated. Selecting the 0-s delay led to lower quality reinforcement (i.e., low preferred items for 30-s), whereas selecting the mixed or fixed delay led to higher quality reinforcement (i.e., access to preferred items for 30-s). Results indicated that two out of three participants preferred the mixed delay over the fixed delay and the 0-s delay to reinforcement alternatives. One participant preferred the mixed and fixed delay equally. None of the participants preferred the 0-s delay to reinforcement. Presenting these three delays to reinforcement alternatives concurrently, at the beginning of treatment, resulted in low levels of problem behavior for all participants and task engagement levels remained at high levels. Potential implications for practice and possible areas of future research on delays to reinforcement, especially regarding mixed delays to reinforcement are discussed.Item An evaluation of the effects of the presence of low-preferred items on the resurgence of communicative responses in persons with developmental disabilities(2017-05-04) Hoffman, Katherine J.; Falcomata, Terry S.; Cooc, North; Lang, Russell; O'Reilly, Mark; Ringdahl, JoelThe purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effects of the presence of low-preferred items during phase 3 on the resurgence of a previously taught communication response in persons with developmental disabilities and communication delays. To set up the phase 3 experimental condition, two phases occurred prior to the third phase, consistent with the resurgence paradigm (Epstein, 1983): (1) the reinforcement of communication target response 1 and (2) extinction of target response 1 and reinforcement of alternative response 2. During the third phase, all responses were extinguished across conditions, and conditions alternated every 2 min between (a) a condition where two low-preferred items were available and (b) no items were available. Results were discussed in terms of treatment relapse literature and some of the challenges facing both basic and applied researchers.Item Effects of lag schedules on vocal mand variability and challenging behavior during functional communication training(2017-05) Silbaugh, Bryant Cashious; Falcomata, Terry S.; O'Reilly, Mark; Fragale, Christina; Lang, Russell; Sandbank, MichealReinforcing multiple mand topographies or modalities during functional communication training (FCT) may increase the persistence of manding during challenges to treatment. However, validated procedures that reinforce the use of multiple mand topographies during FCT are lacking. Prior research demonstrated that FCT with a lag schedule of reinforcement reduced challenging behavior and increased non-vocal mand variability across modalities in individuals with autism. This finding suggests similar procedures may have similar effects on challenging behavior and vocal and/or sign manding. Also, studies have shown that lag schedules following response prompting and/or prompt fading can increase variability in vocalizations, tacts, and intraverbals. Therefore, the current study evaluated the effects of response prompting procedures and a lag schedule of reinforcement on topographical mand variability and challenging behavior during FCT. The results suggest that lag schedules can reinforce topographical mand variability during FCT following the fading or elimination of response prompts. This finding warrants study of the effects of these procedures on the resurgence of manding and challenging behavior following treatment with FCT in children with autism. Limitations of the current study and directions for future research are discussed.Item Increasing communicative mand topographies : an evaluation of the use of a lag reinforcement schedule embedded in a functional communication training treatment package(2013-05) Gainey, Summer; Falcomata, Terry S.Invariant responding among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is problematic and can be pervasive across all areas of development. Individuals with ASD demonstrate difficulty communicating wants and needs and often engage in challenging behavior in order to get needs met. Functional communication training (FCT) is one approach for mediating challenging behavior by teaching individuals a communicative response that is functionally equivalent to the demonstrated challenging behavior. However, individuals are often taught a single communicative response (e.g., vocal approximations) that may be unintelligible to the naïve listener and challenging behavior may resurge as a result of a communication breakdown. Recently, the evaluation of lag schedules of reinforcement has shown that it is possible to reinforce operant variability during instruction. Increasing communicative variability for individuals with ASD may decrease the likelihood of resurgence of challenging behavior by providing a broader repertoire of socially appropriate communicative responses that contacted reinforcement through the use of a lag schedule of reinforcement. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect a lag schedule of reinforcement on communicative variability in three individuals with ASD. In this study, communication was reinforced on either a Lag 0 (or FR1 concurrent) schedule of reinforcement, or a Lag 1 (e.g., responses contacted reinforcement only if the response differed from the previous communicative response). Functional analyses were conducted for each participant to determine variables maintaining challenging behavior, all participants were given a mand topography assessment to evaluate mand topography proficiency, and a lag schedule evaluation was conducted. Results showed that increasing the lag schedule of reinforcement from Lag 0 to Lag 1 increased communicative mand topographies for all participants. Results further showed a significant reduction in challenging behavior as compared to baseline conditions contingent on implementation of the FCT package.