The use of behavioral assessment to prescribe and evaluate treatments for severely handicapped children

Mark W Steege; David P Wacker; Wendy K Berg; Karla K Cigrand; Linda J Cooper

doi:10.1901/jaba.1989.22-23

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The use of behavioral assessment to prescribe and evaluate treatments for severely handicapped children

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

The use of behavioral assessment to prescribe and evaluate treatments for severely handicapped children

Mark W Steege, David P Wacker, Wendy K Berg, Karla K Cigrand and Linda J Cooper

Journal of applied behavior analysis, Vol.22(1), pp.23-33

1989

DOI: 10.1901/jaba.1989.22-23

PMCID: PMC1286149

PMID: 2523371

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https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1989.22-23View

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Abstract

Behavioral assessment procedures were used to prescribe and evaluate treatments of maladaptive behavior for 2 children with severe multiple handicaps. In Experiment 1, the results of an assessment of reinforcer preference were used in conjunction with a functional analysis of the conditions maintaining self-injurious behavior to prescribe a treatment for a child with severe disabilities. The treatment procedure involved the use of a pressure-sensitive microswitch to activate reinforcing stimuli during two solitary conditions, during which self-injurious behavior had occurred at high rates. The results were evaluated with a multiple baseline across settings design and indicated that self-injury decreased with concomitant increases in microswitch activation. Results were maintained at 6 weeks, 8 weeks, and 6 months. In Experiment 2, the results of behavioral assessments of reinforcer preference and self-injurious behavior were combined to develop a treatment for a second severely handicapped child, who exhibited high rates of self-injury in demand situations. This treatment was evaluated with a multiple baseline across tasks design and resulted in the elimination of self-injury for up to 15 months.

Disabled Persons - psychology

Education of Intellectually Disabled

Follow-Up Studies

Generalization, Stimulus

Humans

Child, Preschool

Male

Self Mutilation - therapy

Child

Behavior Therapy - methods

Self Mutilation - psychology

Details

Title: Subtitle: The use of behavioral assessment to prescribe and evaluate treatments for severely handicapped children
Creators: Mark W Steege - Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242
David P Wacker
Wendy K Berg
Karla K Cigrand
Linda J Cooper
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of applied behavior analysis, Vol.22(1), pp.23-33
DOI: 10.1901/jaba.1989.22-23
PMID: 2523371
PMCID: PMC1286149
NLM abbreviation: J Appl Behav Anal
ISSN: 0021-8855
eISSN: 1938-3703
Publisher: United States
Language: English
Date published: 1989
Academic Unit: Pediatric Psychology; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Psychological and Quantitative Foundations; Teaching and Learning
Record Identifier: 9983993338602771

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