Yoo, J. H., Williams, D. C., Napolitano, D. A., Peyton, R. T., Baer, D. M., & Schroeder, S. R. (2003). Rate-decreasing effects of the atypical neuroleptic riperidone attenuated by conditions of reinforcement in a woman with severe mental retardation. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36, 245-248.

Effects of two doses of risperidone on the performance of a matching task under tangible reinforcement and nonreinforcement conditions were measured in a woman with mental retardation. In both conditions, time to complete the task increased and response rates decreased under two doses of risperidone. Accuracy was generally unchanged. These changes were much smaller in the tangible reinforcement condition; thus, reinforcement seemed to protect performance from the rate-decreasing effects of risperidone.

DESCRIPTORS: _drug treatment, reinforcement conditions, risperidone, match to sample, mental retardation