Minimal Motor Behavior Research Articles

Enabling a person with multiple disabilities and minimal motor behaviour to control environmental stimulation with chin movements

Purpose: To assess whether a young man with multiple disabilities and minimal motor behaviour would learn to control environmental stimulation using chin movements and a mechanical microswitch. Method: The study was carried out according to an ABAB design in which A represented baseline and B intervention phases. The chin movements controlled the stimulation only during the intervention phases. A 2-month post-intervention check was conducted. Results: The man increased the frequency of his chin movements, thus increasing the level of environmental stimulation, during the intervention phases. This performance was maintained at the post-intervention check. Conclusion: The use of chin movements is a practical strategy for enabling individuals with minimal motor movements to control environmental stimulation. Future research should examine whether similar types of movements may enable some individuals to control voice-output communication devices.

Gestural imitation and contingent parent responses in nonspeaking children with physical impairments

In these two studies, two children with multiple disabilities and minimal motor behavior were assessed to see if they could use chin movements to operate microswitches to obtain environmental stimulation. In Study I, we applied an adapted version of a recently introduced electronic microswitch [Lancioni, G. E., O’Reilly, M. F., Singh, N. N., Sigafoos, J., Oliva, D., & Baccani, S., et al. (2004). Technological aids to promote basic developmental achievements by children with multiple disabilities: evaluating two cases. Cognitive Processing 5, 232–238]. In Study II, we set up a new microswitch detecting the chin-movement response through an optic sensor. Each study was carried out according to an ABAB sequence in which A represented baseline and B intervention phases. A 2-month post-intervention check also occurred. The data showed that both children increased the frequency of the chin response, thus increasing the level of environmental stimulation, during the intervention phases. This performance was retained at the post-intervention check. The overall suitability of this response and related microswitches as well as the need to explore other potential responses and microswitches for children with minimal motor behavior is discussed.