Effects of punishment and response-independent attention on severe problem behavior and appropriate toy play.

Abstract

Abstract Problem behavior can interfere with learning, the development of appropriate skills, and socialization in persons with developmental disabilities. In severe cases, problem behavior could result in life-threatening injury. For one 21-month-old participant diagnosed with autism engaging in severe problem behavior for whom reinforcement-based interventions had failed, punishment was implemented. After the efficacy of punishment alone was evaluated, it was implemented concurrent with response-independent attention. Problem behavior was suppressed and appropriate toy play emerged as a function of these combined interventions. Thus, punishment in combination with response-independent attention was an effective intervention for severe, attention-maintained problem behavior. Keywords: Noncontingent reinforcement, response-independent reinforcement, punishment, self-injury, property destruction, toy play, autism. ********** Self-injurious behavior (SIB), severe aggression, and property destruction are among the most challenging behaviors exhibited by individuals with developmental disabilities. Such behavior adversely impacts the individual's learning and independent functioning and interferes with more age-appropriate behavior, such as development of appropriate play and social skills in young children. If severe, challenging behavior can threaten the health and safety of the individual and/or the people who interact with the individual. Reinforcement-based procedures such as functional communication training (Carr & Durand, 1985) generally are preferred in reducing problem behavior and increasing appropriate behavior for both ethical and practical reasons. It may not be possible or preferable, however, to maintain the delivery of a reinforcer on a response-dependent schedule. For example, a child might request a food that is not immediately available. Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) is the response-independent delivery of a preferred stimulus (e.g., response-independent attention) according to, for example, a fixed-time (FT) schedule (e.g., Vollmer, Iwata, Zarcone, Smith, & Mazaleski, 1993). Such a schedule might be considered easier to implement, for parents, teachers, and/or staff, than a response-dependent schedule (e.g., Tucker, Sigafoos, & Bushell, 1998). At least two explanations have been put forth in the applied literature as to why NCR might be an effective intervention. One reason is because when the reinforcer is delivered response-independently instead of response-dependently, extinction effects might reduce the problem behavior. Another explanation indicates that NCR might serve as an establishing operation (Michael, 1982) insofar as the delivery of the stimulus noncontingently may decrease its value, thereby decreasing the occurrence of the problem behavior. On the other hand, the term positive punishment refers to the presentation of a stimulus that, when delivered contingent on a response, decreases the future probability of that response. It generally is considered more ethical to use punishment when it is used in combination with reinforcement-based procedures so that not only behavior-decreasing mechanisms are in effect. Some investigators have claimed that punishment may not always be desirable because its long-term use may have negative side effects (Matson & DiLorenzo, 1984). Further, parents and teachers often report difficulty in consistently implementing punishment procedures over time (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 1987; Miltenberger, 1997). Finally, the use of intrusive punishment procedures often focuses attention on the individual and may be stigmatizing (Mayer, 1995). For these reasons, if punishment is necessary to suppress severe problem behavior immediately due to the risk to the health of the individual, it would be preferable to add procedures, such as NCR, after punishment reduces the severe problem behavior. When punishment is combined with NCR, preferred stimuli also are obtained and the punishment schedule might be faded, and the punisher may be made less severe or ultimately discontinued. …