Lerman, D. C., Kelley, M. E., Vorndran, C. M., & Van Camp, C. M. (2003).
Collateral effects of response blocking during the treatment of stereotypic behavior.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
36, 119-123.
The collateral effects of response blocking were evaluated while
treating stereotypic behavior in a woman diagnosed with autism.
Blocking stereotypic behavior (head and tooth tapping) was
associated with decreases in leisure-item interaction and
increases in another stereotypic response (hand wringing).
Results suggested that the reduction in item interaction was due
to adventitious punishment. Prompts to access an alternative
source of reinforcement attenuated the side effects somewhat, but
results suggested that the undesirable effects of response
blocking may be fairly durable.
DESCRIPTORS: _blocking, collateral effects, extinction,
punishment, side effects, stereotypic behavior