The use of conditional probability analysis to identify a response chain leading to the occurrence of eye poking

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Abstract

In contrast to the literature on shaping adaptive behavior chains, few applied studies have described procedures for identifying and treating behavior chains involving problem behavior such as self-injury. The present study expands upon past work by conducting a conditional probability analysis and within-session analysis to identify a response chain leading to the occurrence of self-injurious behavior. Based on the hypothesis that stereotypy and self-injury constituted a response chain, the effects of blocking stereotypy were examined. Reductions in both self-injury and in response effort for treatment implementation were observed.

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Method

The participant, Brad, was a 16-year-old male diagnosed with stereotypic movement disorder with self-injurious behavior, profound mental retardation, and Down syndrome. Brad’s eye poking previously resulted in a cataract with retinal scarring in his right eye and permanent visual impairment. A functional analysis of eye poking indicated that this behavior occurred across all conditions, suggesting it was maintained by automatic reinforcement. Brad’s treatment program consisted of response

Data collection and interobserver agreement

Data were collected on the occurrence of the following responses within 10-s intervals: eye poking, defined as both successful and blocked attempts to press on the goggles or contact between Brad’s finger and his eye; and stereotypy, defined as Brad waving his fingers in front of his eyes or at his temples. When response blocking was in effect for both stereotypy and eye poking, data were collected on attempted eye poking and stereotypy, defined as Brad raising either hand to within 6 in. of his

Results and discussion

The results of the treatment analysis are depicted in the bottom panel of Fig. 1. Data are reported as average percentage of 10-s intervals aggregated across consecutive sessions conducted during each block (thus, each data point represents a 40- to 80-min period). The addition of response blocking for stereotypy effectively reduced both eye poking and stereotypy. When eye poking alone was blocked, stereotypy and eye poking occurred in an average of 38.0% of intervals. However, when response

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