The generalization of newly acquired behaviors by parents and child across three different settings

Behavioral approaches to the treatment of early infantile autism: A review.

“…Therapeutic efforts can be concerned with a number of problematic areas at once, as the following studies demonstrated. Wolf et al (1964) were concerned with tantrums, bedtime problems, wearing of glasses, verbal skills, and proper table manners; Davison (196Sa) eliminated tantrums and increased reading and writing skills: Wetzel et al (1966) increased approach behavior and verbal abilities, while reducing tantrums; Jensen and Womack (1967) designed a program to deal with peer interaction, verbal skills, tantrums, stereotyped behaviors and aggressive behavior; Wolf et al (1967) worked on self-slapping, pinching others, and toilet training; Schell and Adams (1968) taught parents to modify gaze aversion, tantrums, repetitive and self-stimulatory behavior, play, and speech skills; Brawley et al (1969) dealt with a number of targets, including appropriate verbalizations, compliance, tantrums, and self-hitting; Browning (1971) focused on self-destructive behavior, tantrums, toilet training, and speech acquisition; Rutter and Sussenwein (1971) treated language development, stereotyped behavior, and disruptive actions; Nordquist and Wahler (1973) performed experimental manipulations on rituals, crying, compliance, and imitation; and Wulbert, Barach, Perry, Straughan, Sulzbacher, Turner, and Wiltz (1974) had parents modify compliance, speech, and hand slapping in their child.…”

“…The posttreatment environment is an important aspect of the generalization process. If the contingencies established during therapy are withdrawn, the newly acquired response will generally extinguish (Hingtgen et al, 1965;Rusted et al, 1971;Wulbert et al, 1974). Indeed, Lovaas (1970) stressed that those children discharged from his program to institutions where they received little treatment regressed to pretreatment levels of functioning within months.…”