Mask Compliance Training for Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

Since the arrival of the novel coronavirus, recommendations for public masking have emerged to decrease infection rates. For a variety of reasons, tolerating wearing a mask is challenging for many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs). Therefore, we evaluated behavioral strategies to promote compliance with wearing a mask with six hospitalized individuals diagnosed with IDDs. One participant was compliant with wearing the mask for extended durations during baseline while engaging in various activities (e.g., academics, leisure). For the other five individuals, engagement in activities alone was ineffective. Blocking mask removal, reinforcement for mask wearing, and noncontingent access to preferred activities or competing stimuli were then evaluated using a changing-criterion design in which the duration participants were required to tolerate the mask gradually increased. Increases in compliance with mask wearing were achieved with all participants; however, the terminal duration was attained for only four of the five individuals. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40617-021-00583-7.

Using synchronous reinforcement to increase mask wearing in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities

“…Since the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic, there has been emerging research on teaching individuals with IDD how to wear and tolerate wearing a mask (e.g., Ertel et al, 2021; Frank‐Crawford et al, 2021; Halbur et al, 2021; Lillie et al, 2021; Sivaraman et al, 2021). The procedures used in these studies are based on best practice recommendations for increasing comfort and compliance during health‐related routines as outlined by Kupzyk and Allen (2019).…”

“…The procedures used in these studies are based on best practice recommendations for increasing comfort and compliance during health‐related routines as outlined by Kupzyk and Allen (2019). For example, Frank‐Crawford et al (2021) evaluated the effects of an intervention package including response blocking of mask removal, reinforcement for mask wearing, and noncontingent access to preferred activities or competing stimuli to increase mask wearing for five individuals with IDD (ages 6 to 20 years old) who engaged in problem behavior. Sessions were conducted in an activity room in an inpatient program, and results showed the intervention was effective for increasing mask wearing for all participants.…”

Elucidating the role of environmental management of forests, air quality, solid waste and wastewater on the dissemination of SARS-CoV-2

“…It has been advised that healthcare workers must use N95 or medical grade masks which could be reused for 7-10 days after steaming for two hours as a low-cost decontamination method ( Adeniran et al, 2021 ; Ma et al, 2020 ). Some solutions to normalise mask usage are implementation of mask rules, behaviour interventions for disabled individuals, higher levels of scientific education, and positive social media and leader influence (Betsch, 2020; Tso and Cowling, 2020 ; Wardani et al, 2020; Frank-Crawford et al, 2021 ; M et al, 2021 ; Stosic et al, 2021 ). Mask use has been recommended with social distancing, air purification and efficient ventilation ( Cheng et al, 2021 ).…”

The long-term psycho-social impact of the pandemic on people with intellectual disability and their carers

“…Recent studies have substantiated the above concerns; The adjustments to daily life, loss of routine, reduced family contact and new public health measures (such as the wearing of face masks and social distancing guidelines), were found to be very distressing for numerous PWID (Frank-Crawford et al,2021). Gaps in service interventions and challenges associated with supporting the needs of PWID brought on by the pandemic have been hypothesised to underpin the increase in psychotropic prescribing seen for this cohort, resulting in an over-reliance in pharmacological interventions as a compensatory mechanism for gaps in service provision (Naqvi et al, 2021).…”