An evaluation of persistence of treatment effects during long-term treatment of destructive behavior

David P Wacker; Jay W Harding; Wendy K Berg; John F Lee; Kelly M Schieltz; Yaniz C Padilla; John A Nevin; Timothy A Shahan

doi:10.1901/jeab.2011.96-261

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An evaluation of persistence of treatment effects during long-term treatment of destructive behavior

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

An evaluation of persistence of treatment effects during long-term treatment of destructive behavior

David P Wacker, Jay W Harding, Wendy K Berg, John F Lee, Kelly M Schieltz, Yaniz C Padilla, John A Nevin and Timothy A Shahan

Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, Vol.96(2), pp.261-282

09/2011

DOI: 10.1901/jeab.2011.96-261

PMCID: PMC3168891

PMID: 21909168

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Abstract

Eight young children who displayed destructive behavior maintained, at least in part, by negative reinforcement received long-term functional communication training (FCT). During FCT, the children completed a portion of a task and then touched a communication card attached to a microswitch to obtain brief breaks. Prior to and intermittently throughout FCT, extinction probes were conducted within a withdrawal design in which task completion, manding, and destructive behavior were placed on extinction to evaluate the relative persistence of appropriate and destructive behavior over the course of treatment. FCT continued until appropriate behavior persisted and destructive behavior failed to recur at baseline levels during extinction probes. The completion of FCT was followed by four challenges to the persistence of treatment effects conducted within mixed- or multiple-schedule designs: (a) extended extinction sessions (from 5 to 15 min), (b) introduction of a novel task, (c) removal of the microswitch and communication card, and (d) a mixed schedule of reinforcement in which both appropriate and destructive behavior produced reinforcement. The results showed that although FCT often resulted in quick reductions in destructive behavior and increases in appropriate behavior, destructive behavior often recurred during the extinction probes conducted during the initial treatment. When the effects of treatment persisted during the extinction probes, the remaining challenges to treatment effects resulted in only mild to moderate disruptions in behavior. These results are consistent with the quantitative predictions of behavioral momentum theory and may provide an alternative definition of maintenance as constituting behavioral persistence.

Behavior Therapy

Child Behavior Disorders - psychology

Humans

Reinforcement (Psychology)

Child, Preschool

Male

Treatment Outcome

Child Behavior Disorders - therapy

Extinction, Psychological

Female

Child Behavior Disorders - complications

Developmental Disabilities - complications

Communication

Developmental Disabilities - psychology

Details

Title: Subtitle: An evaluation of persistence of treatment effects during long-term treatment of destructive behavior
Creators: David P Wacker - The University of Iowa, USA. david-wacker@uiowa.edu
Jay W Harding
Wendy K Berg
John F Lee
Kelly M Schieltz
Yaniz C Padilla
John A Nevin
Timothy A Shahan
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, Vol.96(2), pp.261-282
DOI: 10.1901/jeab.2011.96-261
PMID: 21909168
PMCID: PMC3168891
NLM abbreviation: J Exp Anal Behav
ISSN: 1938-3711
eISSN: 1938-3711
Publisher: United States
Grant note: R01 HD029402 / NICHD NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 09/2011
Academic Unit: Pediatric Psychology; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Psychological and Quantitative Foundations
Record Identifier: 9983993202902771

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