Abstract
Many individuals with developmental disabilities exhibit noncompliance during intensive instruction. As a treatment for noncompliance, the high-probability instructional sequence (high-p sequence) consists of delivering several high-p instructions before a low-p instruction. The purpose of this study was to extend the research on comparing consequences for high-p demands—namely, praise, edibles, and videos—with an 11-year-old girl diagnosed with CHARGE syndrome. CHARGE syndrome is a rare medical condition often resulting in multisensory impairments and developmental delays. In Treatment Analysis 1, we compared praise versus edibles as consequences for compliance with high- and low-p instructions. Results showed the edibles were initially more effective than praise, but the effects did not maintain. In Treatment Analysis 2, we changed the consequence for compliance with high- and low-p instructions to a music video and then attempted to fade the number of high-p instructions. We replicated the efficacy of the high-p sequence but failed to fade the number of high-p instructions and failed to achieve maintenance. Therefore, in Treatment Analysis 3, we conducted presession preference assessments of music videos in order to use a selected video as the consequence for compliance. This “varied reinforcement” intervention resulted in high levels of compliance. Results are discussed in terms of motivating operations and recommendations for practice.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ardoin, S. P., Martens, B. K., & Wolfe, L. A. (1999). Using high-probability instruction sequences with fading to increase student compliance during transitions. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 32(3), 339–351. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1999.32-339.
Axe, J. B., & Laprime, A. P. (2017). The effects of contingent pairing on establishing praise as a reinforcer with children with autism. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 29(2), 325–340. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-016-9526-9.
Axelrod, M. I., & Zank, A. J. (2012). Increasing classroom compliance: Using a high-probability command sequence with noncompliant students. Journal of Behavioral Education, 21(2), 119–133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-011-9145-6.
Belfiore, P. J., Basile, S. P., & Lee, D. L. (2008). Using a high probability command sequence to increase classroom compliance: The role of behavioral momentum. Journal of Behavioral Education, 17(2), 160–171. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-007-9054-x.
Blake, K. D., Davenport, S. L. H., Hall, B. D., Hefner, M. A., Pagon, R. A., Williams, M. S., Lin, A. E., & Graham Jr., J. M. (1998). CHARGE association: An update and review for the primary pediatrician. Clinical Pediatrics, 37(3), 159–173. https://doi.org/10.1177/000992289803700302.
Brosh, C. R., Fisher, L. B., Wood, C. L., & Test, D. W. (2018). High-probability request sequence: An evidence-based practice for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 53(3), 276–286.
Carbone, V. J., Morgenstern, B., Zecchin-Tirri, G., & Kolberg, L. (2010). The role of the reflexive-conditioned motivating operation (CMO-R) during discrete trial instruction of children with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 25(2), 110–124. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088357610364393.
Davis, C. A., & Reichle, J. (1996). Variant and invariant high-probability requests: Increasing appropriate behaviors in children with emotional-behavioral disorders. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29(4), 471–482. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1996.29-471.
Deuce, G. (2017). The education of learners with CHARGE syndrome. British Journal of Special Education, 44(4), 376–393. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.12183.
Ducharme, J. M., & Worling, D. E. (1994). Behavioral momentum and stimulus fading in the acquisition and maintenance of child compliance in the home. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27(4), 639–647. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1994.27-639.
Ertel, H., Wilder, D. A., Hodges, A., & Hurtado, L. (2019). The effect of various high-probability to low-probability instruction ratios during the use of the high-probability instructional sequence. Behavior Modification, 43(5), 639–655. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445518782396.
Fisher, W., Piazza, C. C., Bowman, L. G., Hagopian, L. P., Owens, J. C., & Slevin, I. (1992). A comparison of two approaches for identifying reinforcers for persons with severe and profound disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25(2), 491–498. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1992.25-491.
Hansen, B., DeSouza, A. A., Stuart, A. L., & Shillingsburg, M. A. (2019). Clinical application of a high-probability sequence to promote compliance with vocal imitation in a child with autism spectrum disorder. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 12(1), 199–203. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-018-00280-y.
Lipschultz, J., & Wilder, D. A. (2017). Recent research on the high-probability instructional sequence: A brief review. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 50(2), 424–428. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.378.
Mace, F. C., Hock, M. L., Lalli, J. S., West, B. J., Belfiore, P., Pinter, E., & Brown, D. K. (1988). Behavioral momentum in the treatment of noncompliance. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 21(2), 123–141. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1988.21-123.
Mace, F. C., Mauro, B. C., Boyajian, A. E., & Eckert, T. L. (1997). Effects of reinforcer quality on behavioral momentum: Coordinated applied and basic research. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 30(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1997.30-1.
Meier, A. E., Fryling, M. J., & Wallace, M. D. (2012). Using high-probability food to increase the acceptance of low-probability foods. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 45(1), 149–153. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2012.45-149.
Michael, J., & Miguel, C. F. (2020). Motivating operations. In J. O. Cooper, T. E. Heron, & W. L. Heward (Eds.), Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed., pp. 372–394). Hoboken, NJ: Pearson.
Nevin, J. A., Mandell, C., & Atak, J. R. (1983). The analysis of behavioral momentum. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 39(1), 49–59. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1983.39-49.
Pace, G. M., Ivancic, M. T., Edwards, G. L., Iwata, B. A., & Page, T. J. (1985). Assessment of stimulus preference and reinforcer value with profoundly retarded individuals. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18(3), 249–255. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1985.18-249.
Pitts, L., & Dymond, S. (2012). Increasing compliance of children with autism: Effects of programmed reinforcement for high-probability requests and varied inter-instruction intervals. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 6(1), 135–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2011.03.013.
Planer, J., DeBar, R., Progar, P., Reeve, K., & Sarokoff, R. (2018). Evaluating tasks within a high-probability request sequence in children with autism spectrum disorder. Behavioral Interventions, 33(4), 380–390. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.1634.
Wilder, D. A., Majdalany, L., Sturkie, L., & Smeltz, L. (2015). Further evaluation of the high-probability instructional sequence with and without programmed reinforcement. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 48(3), 511–522. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.218.
Zuluaga, C. A., & Normand, M. P. (2008). An evaluation of the high-probability instruction sequence with and without programmed reinforcement for compliance with high-probability instructions. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 41(3), 453–457. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2008.41-453.
Acknowledgement
We thank Zachary Bird and Cassidy Race for their help collecting data, and we thank Gretchen Dittrich for her feedback on an earlier version of this manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Davis, C.R., Axe, J.B. Analyzing Consequence Variables Within the High-Probability Instructional Sequence for a Child Diagnosed With CHARGE Syndrome. Behav Analysis Practice 14, 352–359 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00524-w
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00524-w