Increasing Retarded Adults' Compliance with Occupational and Household Tasks with a Guided Compliance and Verbal Praise Procedure: A Preliminary Investigation

Abstract

We examined the use of a guided compliance procedure for increasing compliance with occupational and household tasks in community dwelling, mildly retarded adults. Two clients were admitted to an inpatient unit and were observed in a training room and a behaviour unit setting. In both settings, the clients were requested to engage in a number of occupational and household tasks, similar or identical to tasks they confront in the community. Training consisted of contingent praise for compliance, and physical guidance, applied contingent upon occurrences of noncompliance. Data were collected on compliance, aggression, verbal abuse, and proper application of the training procedure. Training was conducted in a multiple baseline across the two settings. These preliminary results suggest that guided compliance was successful in increasing compliance, with only a minimal and transitory increase in aggression and verbal abuse observed for one client, predominantly in the early phase of training. Largely anecdotal follow-up data suggest that the effect generalised to the community and maintained for at least five months.