Evaluation and Treatment of Socially Inappropriate Stereotypy

  • Nicole H. Lustig
  • Joel E. Ringdahl
  • Gregory Breznican
  • Patrick Romani
  • Michael Scheib
  • Kelly Vinquist
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
First Online:

Abstract

The purpose of this case example was to evaluate the use of differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) for decreasing stereotypy maintained by automatic reinforcement exhibited by a 9 year-old girl diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder and an intellectual disability. The target behavior was a socially inappropriate form of stereotypy. The assessment and treatment consisted of four phases: (1) a competing items assessment, (2) an antecedent analysis, (3) a forced choice assessment, and (4) an evaluation of a DRO procedure. We provided access to a reinforcer contingent on the absence of stereotypy for a prespecified amount of time. The reinforcer was preferred and competed with stereotypy. Results demonstrated the DRO procedure to be effective in reducing stereotypy.

Keywords

Differential reinforcement of other behavior Stereotypy Automatic reinforcement Competing items assessment 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  • Nicole H. Lustig
    • 1
  • Joel E. Ringdahl
    • 2
  • Gregory Breznican
    • 1
  • Patrick Romani
    • 1
  • Michael Scheib
    • 1
  • Kelly Vinquist
    • 1
  1. 1.The University of IowaIowa CityUSA
  2. 2.Southern Illinois UniversityCarbondaleUSA

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