Programmed generalization of dress efficiency across settings for a severely disturbed, autistic child.

Abstract

A seriously disturbed, autistic child residing in a community-based group home was studied. The primary objectives were to (1) bring deficient behavior under control in the group home setting, (2) train for generalization of acquired control to the natural home setting, and (3) shape the treatment program to fit the response expectations of the parents in the natural home. Efficiency in dressing was the targeted behavior, determined as the percentage of clothing the child had put on within a specified time limit. Effectiveness of the strategies were evaluated by using an ABAB withdrawal design to assure control and subsequent experimental conditions to program sequentially for generalization of the treatment effect to other staff and parents in the natural home setting. The primary teaching parent established clear control over dress efficiency by utilizing token reinforcers. This control was transferred effectively to other staff and parents in both group home and natural home setting. A negative reinforcement procedure was added to the token intervention to reduce dressing time effectively to match the parents' expectations for the child's dressing in the natural home setting.