Pediatric occupational therapists often use specific activities associated with deep pressure touch as a modality when providing services based in sensory integration theory. This study investigated the effects of these activities contingent on choice responding. Initially, preference assessments identified that activities such as being swaddled in a blanket or sandwiched between halves of a therapy mat were potential reinforcers for each of the three participants. Then, the stimuli were presented contingently under a two-response concurrent schedule. The results suggested that for each participant, the application of these activities functioned as a positive reinforcer. Given that such activities are often used in pediatric occupational therapy interventions, the clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
We evaluated the use of behavioral skills training (BST) to train caregivers to conduct procedures commonly associated with mand training. We trained two caregivers on the following procedures: (a) conducting preference assessments, (b) delivering preferred items contingent on appropriate behavior, (c) capturing and contriving motivating operations, (d) conducting probes to assess the child's current mand repertoire, (e) errorless prompting procedures using echoic prompts, (f) vocal shaping, (g) collecting data, and (h) correcting errors. We also assessed whether a trained caregiver could in turn train their spouse on these procedures. We evaluated the effects of the intervention on the frequency of child spontaneous and prompted mands. The three caregivers performed near zero percent accuracy during baseline but increased to above 80 % accuracy with training, and high performance persisted during most maintenance probes. These results were replicated for the parent who received training from their spouse. In addition, spontaneous mands were occurring more frequently than prompted mands by the end of the study. The implications of caregivers implementing mand training procedures based on Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior are discussed.
Across the United States, unprecedented numbers of individuals with disabilities are transitioning from mental institutions and developmental centers to community-based settings. As the growing tide of individuals needing community-based services advances, the daunting task of procuring the resources necessary to support them is at hand. Practitioners of applied behavior analysis (ABA), in conjunction with professionals from disciplines such as psychiatry, psychology, medicine, and other specialized ancillary services including occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech and language pathology, have been able to forge beneficial partnerships to maintain the movement to community-based life for individuals with long-term support needs. In this article, we provide an overview of funding options for ABA services at the federal, state, and local levels and for various disability types. We also discuss current and future initiatives to increase funding for ABA services for specific populations who are currently underserved.
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