Melanie H. Bachmeyer, Cathleen C. Piazza, Laura D. Fredrick, Gregory K. Reed, Kristi D. Rivas, & Heather J. Kadey.
Functional analysis and treatment of multiply controlled inappropriate mealtime behavior.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
42, 641-658.
Functional analyses identified children whose inappropriate mealtime
behavior was maintained by escape and adult attention. Function-based
extinction procedures were tested individually and in combination.
Attention extinction alone did not result in decreases in inappropriate
mealtime behavior or a significant increase in acceptance. By contrast,
escape extinction alone resulted in a decrease in inappropriate mealtime
behavior and an increase in acceptance. However, inappropriate mealtime
behavior did not decrease to clinically acceptable levels. A combined
extinction technique (i.e., escape and attention extinction) resulted in a
decrease in inappropriate mealtime behavior to clinically acceptable levels
and high and stable acceptance.
DESCRIPTORS: escape extinction, food refusal, food selectivity, negative reinforcement, pediatric feeding disorders