Expanding Functional Analysis of Automatically Reinforced Behavior Using a Three-Component Multiple-Schedule

Effects of Music on Vocal Stereotypy in Children With Autism

“…In the third component (second panel), levels of vocal stereotypy were marginally lower in the HI and LI sequences than in the baseline sequences, but unfavorable trends precluded the demonstration of experimental control. As proposed by Lanovaz, Rapp, and Fletcher (2010), we also compared the first component to the third component to examine the subsequent effects of music. To facilitate the within‐sequence analyses, we depicted the first and third components of the HI sequences on the same graph and did the same with the LI sequences.…”

Effects of socially appropriate singing on the vocal stereotypy of children with autism spectrum disorder

“…Immediately after the singing sessions, vocal stereotypy was substantially reduced for both participants compared to baseline, control, and singing sessions. Thus, engaging in singing appears to have been a functional match (Lanovaz et al, ) and served as an AO for all four participants' vocal stereotypy (Laraway et al, ; O'Reilly et al, ; Scalzo & Davis, ).…”

“…The results of this study offer some insight into examining the possible reinforcing relationship of the physical sensations associated with vocalizing (e.g., vocal cord vibration). According to Lanovaz et al (), subsequent reductions in behavior are indicative of a functional match, or that the stimulation had similar consequences to that of the child's stereotypy. For example, studies using noncontingent access to auditory stimulation have shown subsequent decreases in vocal stereotypy for some children after they are no longer listening to music or human voices (Lanovaz et al, ; Lanovaz et al, ; Lanovaz et al, ; Lanovaz et al, ; Saylor et al, ), suggesting it's effective as an AO (Laraway et al, ).…”

“…Additionally, reductions in vocal stereotypy have rarely maintained immediately after the matched‐auditory stimulation interventions were withdrawn. Therefore, noncontingent access to music or other auditory stimulations may not be a functional match for children who do not show subsequent decreases in vocal stereotypy (Lanovaz, Rapp, & Fletcher, ). This suggests that vocal stereotypy for some children might be reinforced by other consequences such as the physical sensations (i.e., somatosensory consequences) related to their vocal production (e.g., vocal fold vibration; Zhang, ).…”

“…In sum, the literature appears to suggest that for intervention procedures to be effective at reducing subsequent occurrences of stereotyped behavior, the stimulation provided must either be a functional match (Lanovaz et al, ; Lanovaz et al, ; Lanovaz et al, ; Saylor et al, ), or the stimulation must be produced by the individual while s/he is engaging in stereotypy (i.e., access to stereotypy; e.g., Lang et al, , ; Rispoli et al, ). Because vocal stereotypy might be multiply maintained by auditory and physical sensations of vocalizing (e.g., vocal cord vibrations) for some individuals, an intervention that provides access to vocalizing might be ideal for addressing the potential of both sources of reinforcement.…”