Implications of Behavioral Momentum Theory for Intervention in Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Behavioral momentum theory (BMT) is a quantitative model used to describe the persistence of behavior in the face of varying challenges (e.g., extinction, distraction). Generally, BMT predicts that responses that occur under stimulus conditions associated with denser reinforcement will persist in the face of challenges to a greater extent than responses that occur under conditions associated with leaner reinforcement. In this chapter, we consider ways in which BMT has made contact with the literature on behavioral intervention for persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental disorders. We first review early studies that sought simply to establish the relevance of BMT for understanding behavior in these populations. We then discuss how the momentum framework has been implicated in programs to both strengthen adaptive behavior and decrease problem behavior. Recent basic research on BMT has revealed that the set of variables that predict response persistence similarly influence various forms of behavioral reemergence or relapse. We consider how these findings have recently been brought to bear on the concept of treatment relapse in neurodevelopmental disorders. Throughout the chapter, we offer a variety of questions raised about these relations and future avenues for research on the applied implications, many involving how BMT intersects with core diagnostic features of ASD.