Evaluation of Interventions to Reduce Multiply Controlled Vocal Stereotypy

Abstract

This study examined four interventions targeted at decreasing multiply controlled vocal stereotypy for a 12-year-old boy diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and a severe intellectual disability. These interventions included Noncontingent Music, Differential Reinforcement of Other Behaviors, Self-Recording, and Functional Communication Training (FCT). In addition to measuring vocal stereotypy during each condition, task engagement and challenging behavior were also monitored. Across conditions, vocal stereotypy did not vary significantly from baseline except in FCT, when it decreased significantly. Task engagement was higher in this condition as well. It is hypothesized that FCT provided an enriched environment by increasing social interaction and access to desired items as well as removal of less preferred activities. For these reasons, there was a decrease in the need for the participant to engage in vocal stereotypy and challenging behavior and increase in his ability to engage in a task.

Functional communication training: From efficacy to effectiveness

“…These positive effects are further increased when skill‐based reinforcement thinning procedures are added to FCT, for example demand fading (e.g., Berg et al, 2007) or contingency‐based delay tolerance training (e.g., Ghaemmaghami et al, 2016), which may be due to the explicit efforts to strengthen other contextually appropriate responses in addition to communication. Regarding collateral reductions, Wacker et al (1998) reported a decrease in other minor topographies of problem behavior not directly treated by FCT and Scalzo et al (2015) showed that FCT resulted in increased task engagement and lower levels of nontargeted challenging behavior. These effects may not be transient; Berg et al (2007) showed the secondary effects of FCT on social interactions and task completion in both training and generalization contexts across settings and people.…”

To What Extent Do Practitioners Need to Treat Stereotypy During Academic Tasks?

“…Importantly, instructors in the current study exposed Harry and Aiden to their ongoing academic acquisition (nonmastered) tasks, whereas Lanovaz and colleagues (2012, 2014) used mastered activities. Nevertheless, the results for Jeremy and Sam show that continuous music is not universally effective for treating vocal stereotypy during either leisure or demand contexts (see also Scalzo et al, 2015). To this end, Rapp, Brogan, and Cook (2018) noted that even though some studies have found that continuous auditory stimulation decreases vocal stereotypy, others have shown that continuous music actually increases vocal or motor stereotypy.…”

Differential reinforcement to decrease stereotypy exhibited by an adult with autism spectrum disorder

“…Previous research on stereotypy treatments have generally focused on children in controlled settings and studies have not examined reducing stereotypy in adults with ASD (Lanovaz & Sladeczek, 2012). Additionally, our study extends this area of research by moving beyond evaluations in highly structured settings (Colon & Ahearn, 2019; Scalzo et al, 2015; Taylor et al, 2005). Our intervention was successfully evaluated across multiple community‐based settings at a large public university.…”

“…Scalzo et al (2015) also compared intervention strategies for decreasing vocal stereotypy for a 12‐year‐old child with ASD. They compared noncontingent music, a DRO procedure, self‐recording, and FCT.…”

“…As is the case for both Taylor et al (2005) and Scalzo et al (2015), interventions to reduce stereotypy are typically conducted with young children in controlled environments. Lanovaz and Sladeczek (2012) conducted a review on the treatment of vocal stereotypy.…”