Lindberg, J. S., Iwata, B. A., Roscoe, E. M., Worsdell, A. S., & Hanley, G. P. (2003).
Treatment efficacy of noncontingent reinforcement during brief and extended application.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
36, 1-19.
We evaluated the long-term therapeutic effects of noncontingent
reinforcement (NCR). In Experiment 1, NCR effects were examined
with 2 participants' arbitrary responses; in Experiment 2, NCR
was used as treatment with 3 participants whose self-injurious
behavior (SIB) was maintained by automatic reinforcement. In both
experiments, NCR consisted of continuous access to a highly
preferred leisure item and was implemented initially during
10-min and later during 120-min sessions. Varied reinforcers
(leisure items) were subsequently introduced during 120-min
sessions to determine if treatment effects might be extended.
Finally (Experiment 2 only), NCR was implemented throughout the
day in participants' homes. Results of Experiments 1 and 2 showed
that reinforcers obtained through object manipulation can compete
with those obtained automatically by engaging in SIB during brief
NCR sessions. However, data from the 120-min sessions indicated
that satiation to a specific leisure item might occur over
periods of time more typical of those during which treatment
would be implemented. Access to a variety of highly preferred
leisure items extended the effectiveness of NCR for some
individuals. When NCR was implemented throughout the day
(Experiment 2), therapeutic effects were shown to be maintained
for up to 1 year.
DESCRIPTORS: _automatic reinforcement, functional analysis,
noncontingent reinforcement, stimulus preference assessment
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