An Examination of the Effectiveness of Instructional Training and Response Cost Procedures in Controlling the Inappropriate Behaviour of Male Schizophrenic Patients

Abstract

The effectiveness of instructional training and response cost procedures in reducing the frequency of performance of a range of inappropriate behaviours in a group of nine long-term schizophrenic patients was examined in three distinct settings. Instructional training was found to be generally effective in controlling inappropriate behaviour. The effects of a combined instructional training and response cost procedure in further reducing the level of performance of inappropriate behaviour were confined to a small sub-group of patients and were only demonstrated in one specific setting.Issues relating to the systematic nature of the instructional training procedure, to maintenance of change and to the role of response cost are discussed.