Increasing compliance with haircuts in a child with autism

Abstract

Using a changing-criterion design, we evaluated the effects of providing a preferred edible item and escape from sitting contingent on a child's compliance with sitting during haircuts. Results indicated that the intervention eliminated the child's escape responses and increased his sitting to a duration that permitted regular haircuts by his mother. Follow-up sessions showed that the participant's increased compliance during haircuts continued for over 2 months.

Effects of reinforcement without extinction on increasing compliance with nail cutting: A systematic replication

“…The present study was a systematic replication of Shabani and Fisher (), Schumacher and Rapp (), and Bishop et al () in which we evaluated the use of differential reinforcement without escape extinction on escape responding and compliance with nail cutting of two adolescents with ASD who resisted nail cutting.…”

“…For example, ungroomed fingernails increase the likelihood of infection (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ), and poorly maintained toenails can produce pain and immobility (Malkin & Berridge, ). Researchers have used behavioral interventions to increase individuals' compliance with personal hygiene tasks, including dental flossing (Dahlquist & Gil, ), haircuts (Schumacher & Rapp, ), toothbrushing (Bishop et al, ), as well as toileting, bathing, and dressing (Piazza, Contrucci, Hanley, & Fisher, ).…”

“…Individuals with ASD and other developmental disabilities often engage in extreme forms of responding (e.g., screaming, tantrums, repetitive behavior, and other forms of problem behavior) when presented with tactile stimulation (Baranek, Foster, & Berkson, ), which can be problematic during personal hygiene routines (e.g., Ellis, Ala'i‐Rosales, Glenn, Rosales‐Ruis, & Greenspoon, ). Although previous studies on increasing compliance with personal hygiene routines typically have not employed functional analyses to determine the behavioral function of such problematic responding (e.g., Bishop et al, ; Schumacher & Rapp, ), resistance to personal hygiene routines is likely to be reinforced by escape from aversive tactile stimulation, at least in part. Topographically, escape responses may consist of blocking or pulling away from the tactile stimulus, or otherwise leaving the area (Schumacher & Rapp, ).…”

“…Although previous studies on increasing compliance with personal hygiene routines typically have not employed functional analyses to determine the behavioral function of such problematic responding (e.g., Bishop et al, ; Schumacher & Rapp, ), resistance to personal hygiene routines is likely to be reinforced by escape from aversive tactile stimulation, at least in part. Topographically, escape responses may consist of blocking or pulling away from the tactile stimulus, or otherwise leaving the area (Schumacher & Rapp, ). Consequently, behavior analysts may consider implementing escape extinction, a common treatment for escape‐maintained problem behavior (e.g., Piazza, Patel, Gulotta, Sevin, & Layer, ).…”

“…Similarly, Schumacher and Rapp () increased haircut compliance of a boy with ASD by delivering an edible item contingent on compliance with sitting during haircuts for progressively increasing durations of time. Shumacher and Rapp programmed a concurrent schedule of reinforcement in which compliance produced edibles and escape responses produced breaks.…”