Increasing compliance with vaccination procedures for individuals with autism.

Abstract

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the virus, SARS-CoV-2, and it can affect individuals differently. Some people may experience mild symptoms while others may experience severe illness or death. Vaccines that are authorized to protect against COVID-19 help the human body develop immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and reduce the risk of COVID-19 and its potentially serious complications. We evaluated the effects of graduated exposure and differential reinforcement to teach individuals with autism to comply with the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine. All three participants had a history of engaging in challenging behavior during previous vaccination procedures. Following the intervention, all participants successfully received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. The results of this study support previous research on graduated exposure and differential reinforcement as a treatment for increasing compliance with medical procedures for individuals with autism.