Semester
Fall
Date of Graduation
2002
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Psychology
Committee Chair
Cynthia M. Anderson.
Committee Co-Chair
Kennon A. Lattal
Committee Member
Tracy L. Morris
Abstract
Two individuals with developmental delays with a history of problem behavior participated in this study. Its purpose was to examine the efficacy of combining two treatments demonstrated to reduce problem behavior: response-independent stimulus delivery and differential reinforcement of an alternative behavior. This study examined whether the response-independent delivery of an alternative preferred stimulus and differential reinforcement of manding resulted in increases in manding and suppression of problem behavior prior to and during the fading of the schedule of response-independent stimulus delivery. The study also examined the necessity of extinction to obtain suppression of problem behavior. The response-independent delivery of an alternative preferred stimulus and the implementation of functional communication training resulting in access to the maintaining reinforcer increased manding and decreased problem behavior. Results also suggest tentatively that extinction may be necessary to maintain response suppression during fading of the response-independent stimulus delivery schedule.
Recommended Citation
Haag, Shannon S., "Effects of response-independent stimulus delivery and functional communication training" (2002). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 885.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/885