Previous research has shown tangibly maintained challenging behavior can be temporarily decreased by providing presession access to the relevant tangible. However, the duration of this beneficial effect is unknown. We measured the subsequent duration of behavior reduction effects following presession access during extended classroom observation sessions by analyzing within-session patterns of responding in three children with autism. An alternating treatments design was used to analyze within- and across-session responding following presession access and presession restriction conditions. The cumulative frequency of challenging behavior was higher following the presession restriction condition for all participants and lower following presession access. Within-session analysis revealed the same basic pattern of responding across participants. Specifically, the first half of the sessions contained very little, if any, challenging behavior; however, after 60 min, the rate of challenging behavior began to increase rapidly for two of the three participants. Results are discussed in terms of implications for practitioners, satiation, habituation, and behavioral contrast.

We reviewed 14 experimental studies comparing different preference assessments for individuals with developmental disabilities that were published in peer-reviewed journals between 1985 and 2012. Studies were summarized based on the following six variables: (a) the number of participants, (b) the type of disability, (c) the number and type of stimuli, (d) the average duration of administration, (e) compared procedures, and (f) results. Studies were also classified in terms of the predictive validity and consistency of the preference assessment results. The results suggest the preference assessment procedures that may produce more accurate predictions for the reinforcing effects of identified stimuli and consistent preference results. The findings are discussed in relation to the previous literature. Evidence based modifications of the most efficient preference assessment are also discussed.

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are more likely to engage in inappropriate play (e.g., stereotypy, repetitive behavior) with their preferred items given as reinforcers. Considering the stereotyped behavior is a core characteristic of ASD aimed to reduce, it is necessary to identify alternative reinforcers that does not encourage problematic behavior as well as is still effective. In this respect, the present study evaluates a possible alternative reinforcer: social interaction. The study compared the effects of preferred tangible and social reinforcers on skill acquisition, stereotyped behavior, and task engagement during the instruction period in three children, 3-8 years of age, with ASDs. This study had two phases: in the first phase, preference assessments and reinforcer assessments were conducted to identify the most highly preferred items and relative preferred type of reinforcers. In the second phase, teachers taught the target skills using two different reinforcers and the three dependent variables were compared between two reinforcer conditions. The results suggest that the reinforcers were equally effective; however tangible reinforcers resulted in high levels of stereotyped behavior. The results indicate that social reinforcers can be efficient reinforcers for the population. The study discussed making an efficient reinforcement decision for individuals with ASD.

Chelation treatment is used to eliminate specific metals from the body, such as mercury. It has been hypothesized that mercury poisoning may be a factor in autism and data suggest that perhaps 7% of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have received chelation treatment. It would therefore seem timely to review studies investigating the effects of chelation treatment for individuals with ASD. To this end, we conducted a systematic search to identify studies that have evaluated the effects of chelation on autism symptomatology. Our search identified five studies, which were analyzed in terms of (a) participant characteristics, (b) dependent variables, (c) study outcomes, and (d) certainty of evidence. Four of the five studies found mixed results and only one study reported positive results. However, given the significant methodological limitations of these studies, the research reviewed here does not support the use of chelation as a treatment for ASD.

We examined the influence of an antecedent communication intervention on challenging behavior for three students with developmental disorders. Students were taught to request tangible items that were identified as reinforcers for challenging behavior in a prior functional analysis. Individual participant multielement and reversal designs were used to compare the effects of the antecedent communication intervention versus a no antecedent communication intervention condition. Immediately following the antecedent manipulations students were exposed to the tangible condition of the functional analysis. Results indicate that the antecedent communication intervention reduced challenging behavior in the subsequent tangible test condition for all three students. The importance of examining antecedent interventions to treat challenging behavior from a function analytic perspective is discussed.

Intervention studies involving the use of sensory integration therapy (SIT) were systematically identified and analyzed. Twenty-five studies were described in terms of: (a) participant characteristics, (b) assessments used to identify sensory deficits or behavioral functions, (c) dependent variables, (d) intervention procedures, (e) intervention outcomes, and (f) certainty of evidence. Overall, 3 of the reviewed studies suggested that SIT was effective, 8 studies found mixed results, and 14 studies reported no benefits related to SIT. Many of the reviewed studies, including the 3 studies reporting positive results, had serious methodological flaws. Therefore, the current evidence-base does not support the use of SIT in the education and treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Practitioners and agencies serving children with ASD that endeavor, or are mandated, to use research-based, or scientifically-based, interventions should not use SIT outside of carefully controlled research.

The rates of problem behavior maintained by different reinforcers were evaluated across 3 preference assessment formats (i.e., paired stimulus, multiple-stimulus without replacement, and free operant). The experimenter administered each assessment format 5 times in a random order for 7 children with developmental disabilities whose problem behavior was maintained by attention, tangible items, or escape. Results demonstrated different effects related to the occurrence of problem behavior, suggesting an interaction between function of problem behavior and assessment format. Implications for practitioners are discussed with respect to assessing preferences of individuals with developmental disabilities who exhibit problem behavior.

We evaluated the effects of presession satiation on challenging behavior and academic engagement during subsequent classroom activities for three 5- 6 year-old children with autism. The percentage of 10-s intervals with challenging behavior and academic engagement during 20-min classroom activity sessions was observed under two conditions. One condition involved presession satiation, in which participants were given unrestricted access to tangible items that maintained their challenging behavior prior to the classroom sessions. This presession satiation continued until the children rejected the tangible item three times. The second condition did not entail presession satiation prior to the beginning of classroom sessions. Effects of the two conditions on challenging behavior and academic engagement were evaluated using individual participant alternating treatments designs. Results demonstrated that the presession satiation condition was associated with consistently lower percentages of intervals with challenging behavior and consistently higher percentages of intervals with academic engagement.

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) often present with challenging behavior, such as aggression and self-injury. In studies of children with other types of developmental disabilities challenging behavior appears more often to be maintained by attention or escape from demands. Less is known about the operant function of challenging behavior in children with ASD. The aim of the present study was to provide an analysis of the function of challenging behaviors in 10 children with ASD or PDD-NOS. Each child was assessed across five conditions (i.e., attention, escape, tangible, alone, and play). Each condition was presented 8–10 times in a multielement design while the percentage of 10-s intervals with challenging behavior (e.g., aggression, self-injury) was recorded. The results showed that for 8 of the 10 children, challenging behavior was maintained by automatic reinforcement, but by multiple sources of reinforcement for the other 2 children. The overall findings differ from the results of studies on children with other types of developmental disabilities, suggesting the possibility of a characteristically more non-social function to the challenging behavior of children with ASD.

Preferences of 2 children with developmental disabilities, whose functional analyses indicated that their problem behavior was maintained by access to tangible items, were assessed using three formats (i.e., paired stimulus [PS], multiple-stimulus without replacement [MSWO], and free operant [FO]). The experimenter administered each format five times and compared levels of problem behavior across formats in a multielement design. Both participants exhibited problem behavior in PS and MSWO formats but not in the FO format. Results are discussed in terms of recommendations for practitioners.

Two children with autism who engaged in aggression and stereotypy were assessed using common analogue functional analysis procedures. Aggression was maintained by access to specific preferred items. Data on the rates of stereotypy and appropriate play were collected during an extended functional analysis tangible condition. These data reveal that once the child was given access to the items shown to be maintaining challenging behavior that these items were then used to engage in stereotypy. These results suggest a relationship between stereotypy and socially mediated challenging behavior. Potential modifications to standard functional analysis procedures designed to identify this relationship and the implications of this relationship for intervention design are discussed.

Skin-picking is a type of self-injurious behavior involving the pulling, scratching, lancing, digging, or gouging of one's own body. It is associated with social impairment, and increased medical and mental health concerns. While there are several reports showing that skin-picking is common in individuals with developmental disabilities, knowledge about effective treatment approaches is sparse. We therefore reviewed studies involving the treatment of chronic skin-picking in individuals with developmental disabilities. Systematic searches of electronic databases, journals, and reference lists identified 16 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. These studies were evaluated in terms of: (a) participants, (b) functional assessment procedures and results, (c) intervention procedures, (d) results of the intervention, and (e) certainty of evidence. Across the 16 studies, intervention was provided to a total of 19 participants aged 6–42 years. Functional assessment procedures included direct observations, analog functional analyses, and functional assessment interviews. The most commonly identified function was automatic reinforcement. Treatment approaches included combinations of differential reinforcement, providing preferred items and activities stimuli (e.g., toys), wearing protective clothing (e.g., helmets or gloves), response interruption and redirection, punishment, and extinction. Improvements in behavior were reported in all of the reviewed studies. Suggestions for future intervention research are offered.

We reviewed studies involving the treatment of bruxism (i.e., teeth clenching or teeth grinding) in individuals with developmental disabilities. Systematic searches of electronic databases, journals, and reference lists identified 11 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. These studies were evaluated in terms of: (a) participants, (b) procedures used to assess bruxism, (c) intervention procedures, (d) results of the intervention, and (e) certainty of evidence. Across the 11 studies, intervention was provided to a total of 19 participants aged 4–43 years. Assessment procedures included dental screening under sedation and interviews with caregivers. Intervention approaches included prosthodontics, dental surgery, injection of botulinum toxin-a, behavior modification, music therapy, and contingent massage. Positive outcomes were reported in 82% of the reviewed studies. Overall, the evidence base is extremely limited and no definitive statements regarding treatment efficacy can be made. However, behavior modification and dental or medical treatment options (e.g., prosthodontics) seem to be promising treatment approaches. At present, a two-step assessment process, consisting of dental screening followed by behavioral assessment, can be recommended.

We implemented functional communication training (FCT) with a child with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) who exhibited challenging behavior when preferred toys were removed. Prior to FCT sessions the participant was exposed to 15 min of access to the toys that maintained challenging behavior versus no access. The presession access versus no access conditions were systematically evaluated using an alternating treatments design. Results indicate that presession access to the toys was associated with a decrease in challenging behavior and an increase in independent communication during FCT training. Future research should attempt to replicate these procedures with other participants who exhibit challenging behavior.