Treatment of food selectivity: An evaluation of video modeling of contingencies

Abstract

Many children with disabilities have feeding problems including, but not limited to, food selectivity and/or food refusal. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of video modeling of contingencies alone and combined with direct exposure to the contingencies in the treatment of food selectivity. Treatment procedures included sequentially introducing videos in which models consumed nonpreferred foods or were exposed to differential reinforcement or differential reinforcement plus escape extinction. In addition, during feeding sessions, participants were exposed to differential reinforcement. Results indicated that video modeling of differential reinforcement plus direct exposure to differential reinforcement may be effective at increasing consumption of some nonpreferred foods, but the results were not replicated across all foods. For one participant, consumption of one food increased with video modeling alone. K E Y W O R D Sdifferential reinforcement, direct contingencies, escape extinction, food selectivity, video modeling

Behavior Analytic Feeding Interventions: Current State of the Literature

“…While the use of escape extinction to increase acceptance of food in children with food selectivity has a tremendous amount of empirical support, disadvantages include short-term increases in problem behavior and extinction-induced emotional and aggressive behavior ( Bachmeyer, 2009 ) which can make such procedures undesirable in settings such as homes and schools. There has been a trend of recently published studies that examine solely antecedent-based interventions, such as modeling ( Hillman, 2019 ; O’Connor et al, 2020 ), high probability response sequences ( Silbaugh & Swinnea, 2019 ; Trejo & Fryling, 2018 ), and simultaneous presentation combined with stimulus fading ( Cho & Sonoyama, 2020 ). Researchers have also examined differential reinforcement alone ( de los Santos, & Silbaugh, 2020 ), and response shaping ( Turner et al, 2020 ) to expand diet variety in children with food selectivity.…”

“…Using a multiple baseline design across participants combined with a multiple probe design across foods, O’ Connor et al (2020) evaluated the use of video modeling of contingencies alone and combined with direct exposure to the contingencies in the treatment of food selectivity of three boys, ages 5 through 12 years, with limited diet varieties. Treatment involved presenting videos in which models just consumed nonpreferred foods, models were exposed to differential reinforcement or differential reinforcement plus escape extinction was provided for acceptance of nonpreferred foods.…”

An Evaluation of a Telehealth Caregiver Training Package to Treat Food Selectivity

“…However, the researchers reported inappropriate mealtime behaviors rarely occurred. Other successful alternatives have included shaping (Cosbey & Muldoon, 2016), shaping combined with differential reinforcement (Hodges et al, 2017), simultaneous presentation (Whipple et al, 2019), simultaneous presentation combined with stimulus fading (Cho & Sonoyama, 2020), as well as modeling (Hillman, 2019; O’Connor et al, 2020).…”

Further evaluation of contingency modeling to increase consumption of nutritive foods in children with autism and food selectivity

“…Its utility has been demonstrated in multiple populations across social, daily living, safety, academic, and vocational skills (Cooper et al, 2020, p. 534). Emerging scientific evidence suggests interventions in which feeders model target behaviors and contact contingencies for eating (i.e., henceforth called "contingency modeling") can improve consumption of nutritive foods in PFD (Fu et al, 2015;Greer et al, 1991;O'Connor et al, 2019;Sira & Fryling, 2012).…”