Increasing Conversation Using Restricted Access and Chain Schedules of Reinforcement

Abstract

The current study examined the effects of chain schedules of reinforcement and restricting access to reinforcement on increasing the number of words used in conversation for an adolescent with autism spectrum disorder. After access to a video game was restricted, the participant had to meet various chain-schedule requirements of responding to regain access. The results demonstrated that the combined procedures were successful in building multiword conversation between the young man, his mother, and/or a therapist. These results expand on existing literature regarding increasing verbal behavior using reinforcement techniques and the literature regarding increasing the use of trained social skills. Keywords Autism spectrum disorder. Conversation skills. Chain schedules of reinforcement. Restricted access to reinforcement Common traits of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) include social and communication deficits (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Many children and adolescents with ASD have minimal communication. Additionally, children and adolescents with ASD often engage in a restricted range of repetitive responding. Although this in many cases refers to stereotypic behaviors or restricted interests, this pattern of behaving may also describe repetitive or restricted social responses (e.g., always greeting someone in the same exact manner). Researchers have begun to look more closely at a global domain of behaviors, typically called social skills, to determine more effective, targeted interventions that address a variety of specific behaviors (Nuernberger, Ringdahl, Vargo, Crumpecker, & Gunnarsson, 2013). Many social skill programs focus on response accuracy (Radley et al., 2014; Radley et al., 2015) rather than topography of the response, such as response variability and length. Others conceptualize * James W. Moore