Research & Presentation Projects

Compulsive Behaviors or Stereotypy: Defining and Treating Repetitive and Ritualistic Behaviors in Persons with Autism

Mary Jane Weiss, BCBA-D., Thomas Zane, BCBA-D., Traci Lanner, BCBA, Brandon Nichols, BCBA, Sean Field, BCBA

Many individuals with developmental disabilities exhibit self-stimulatory behaviors for different functions. These behaviors may vary in topography and may interfere with an individual’s ability to learn or engage socially. In this study the individual exhibited “fuzzing” behavior, defined as the throwing of light weight material (feather, grass, fuzz from clothes, etc.) in the air and staring at it. Frequently, this self-stimulatory behavior served as a precursor to other behaviors including aggression and self-injurious behavior which presented serious risks of harm to the individual or staff. A treatment package consisting of response blocking and a brief DRO procedure were implemented using an alternating treatment design to reduce rates of self-stimulatory behavior. Both procedures successfully reduced rates of the “fuzzing” although the greatest reduction was produced by the DRO procedure. Four follow-up sessions of the DRO condition was conducted approximately two weeks later and levels of self-stimulatory behavior remained lower than baseline rates.

Poster presentation at Connecticut Association for Behavior Analysis annual conference, Nov. 2010

Reducing Problematic Sensory Behavior Using Response Blocking and DRO Procedure

Brandon Nichols, BCBA and Thomas Zane, BCBA-D

Many individuals with developmental disabilities exhibit self-stimulatory behaviors for different functions. These behaviors may vary in topography and may interfere with an individual’s ability to learn or engage socially. In this study the individual exhibited “fuzzing” behavior, defined as the throwing of light weight material (feather, grass, fuzz from clothes, etc.) in the air and staring at it. Frequently, this self-stimulatory behavior served as a precursor to other behaviors including aggression and self-injurious behavior which presented serious risks of harm to the individual or staff. A treatment package consisting of response blocking and a brief DRO procedure were implemented using an alternating treatment design to reduce rates of self-stimulatory behavior. Both procedures successfully reduced rates of the “fuzzing” although the greatest reduction was produced by the DRO procedure. Four follow-up sessions of the DRO condition was conducted approximately two weeks later and levels of self-stimulatory behavior remained lower than baseline rates.

Poster presentation at the Association for Behavior Analysis International Convention in San Antonio, TX, May 2010

Symposium Title: Comparison of Traditional Analog Functional Analysis and Trial Based Functional Analysis

• Abstract Title:  The Clinical Utility of Two Reinforcement Preference Assessment Techniques:  A Comparison of Duration of Assessment and Identification of Functional Reinforcers

Sean Field, BCBA, Traci Lanner, BCBA, Brandon Scott Nichols, BCBA, Michele Myers, BA, Thomas Zane, BCBA-D

Functional behavioral analysis is the "gold standard" for determining the function of problem behaviors. The traditional functional analysis protocol involves multiple sessions for each potential function, plus a play/control condition, each lasting 10 minutes. The goal is to observe "differentiated" results, or increased rates of the targeted behavior in particular sessions. A recent alternative functional analysis procedure is termed "trial based", and requires sessions of only 2 minutes, with the session ending after the first occurrence of the targeted behavior. The current study gathered data on three students with autism to determine the extent to which there is correspondence of function determined by a trial-based functional analysis completed in these two environments. First, a traditional functional analysis protocol was implemented and the results compared to the results of a trial-based protocol completed in an analog environment. For those participants for whom the functions agreed, we next completed a trial-based functional analysis in the participant's naturalistic classroom environment. The results between the two environments will be discussed in terms of the accuracy and validity of trial-based procedures, the advantages and disadvantages of conducting functional analysis protocols in either naturalistic or analog environments, and the ease of implementation.

Presented at Association for Behavior Analysis International Conference in Denver, Colorado, May 2011

Staff Accuracy in Implementing Behavior Plans for Persons with Severe Behavior Disorders: Influence of Performance Feedback

Traci Lanner, MA, BCBA Tracy Stearns, Steve Tambascio and Thomas Zane, Ph.D., BCBA-D, NYS Licensed psychologist . 

Persons with severe developmental disabilities often exhibit various behavior disorders such as aggression, self-injury, and self-stimulation.  Typically, direct care staff implement behavior plans (written by psychologists and or “behavior specialists”) to ameliorate these behaviors of concern.  However, research in the area of staff development and training have indicated that often staff are inconsistent in implementing the procedures of behavior plans, and that this problem is a major impediment to successfully changing problem behavior.  The purposes of this study were to assess the level of accuracy of staff implementation of behavior plans for students with severe behavior disorders, to compare accuracy of implementing different procedural components of the plans, and to assess the influence of performance feedback on implementation accuracy.  Three masters-level behavior specialists observed a total of ten direct care staff implementing behavior plans across a total of three students.  The behavior specialists noted whether the staff correctly or incorrectly implemented the required steps of the plans, and determined the proportion of steps implemented correctly.  In addition, the researchers analyzed the degree to which preventative, reactive, and reinforcement strategies were performed correctly.   The results showed that staff typically implemented preventative procedures more correctly than reactive procedures before feedback.  Performance feedback resulted in improved implementation in two of three classrooms.

This study was first presented as poster research at the New York State Association for Behavior Analysis annual conference, 2006 by Traci Lanner, MA, BCBA and was featured in the Winter, 2007 edition of the NYS ABA News. It was later expanded on and was orally presented at the New York State Association for Behavior Analysis annual conference 2007 under the title:  A System for Monitoring Staff Implementation of Behavior Support Plans by Traci Lanner, MA, BCBA, Tracy Stearns, Brandon Nichols, MS and Thomas Zane, Ph.D., BCBA-D.  As a result of this research, a performance feedback system of reliability checks was implemented in Springbrook’s residential school program by all behavior specialists.

Implementing a Prompting Hierarchy while Teaching a Vocational Task

  Jennifer Hanson, BS, BCaBA and Thomas Zane, Ph.D., BCBA-D

The purpose of this case study was to increase a student’s independence in completing a vocational task.  This vocational task included carrying a basket of laundry from the student’s classroom to two dining rooms located on the second level of the school building.   The methodologies used included a least-to-most prompting hierarchy and antecedent prompting related to the specific task analysis.  The least-to-most prompting hierarchy was put into place for 25 sessions.  An antecedent prompt was then added into the task analysis.   This antecedent prompt was included in order to decrease the total number of prompts necessary for completion of the task.  A fading procedure was also implemented with the antecedent prompts to decrease the student’s reliance on staff’s prompting.  The antecedent prompts were faded from four words in the first phase to the natural Sd in the fifth phase after meeting criterion.  By following a specific analysis and plan, we were able to adjust the procedure to address any steps that were requiring consistent prompts.

This study was presented as poster research at the Connecticut Association for Behavior Analysis annual conference, 2007.

The Effects of Communication Training on Individuals with Autism

Sean Field, BS and Thomas Zane, Ph.D., BCBA-D

For students with developmental disabilities, problem behaviors often become a method of achieving a desired outcome. This study addresses a 17 year old non-verbal male with Mental retardation and Autism that acted out with kicking and head butting behaviors to serve an escape function from his daily work. The student was trained on the use of a break card both in a novel location and in his classroom. He was first trained on the break card in a training room, where a work load was demanded and only received break upon the touching of a card; he was later given the choice of work or break while in the classroom. Over time the work demand was increased while the break duration remained the same 30seconds. During these sessions not only did the student utilize the break card as a replacement behavior, but over time did not need the break card while working, and maintained the low frequency of problem behaviors during the sessions. This student is currently in a generalization training phase.

This study was presented as poster research at the Connecticut Association for Behavior Analysis annual conference, 2007 and New York State Association for Behavior Analysis annual conference, 2008 where it received a student research award.

The Implementation & Adherence of Behavior Support Plans in a Residential Setting

A Case Study By Brandon Nichols, MS

Many individuals with mental retardation, autism, and other related disabilities lead lives that are significantly impaired due to problem behaviors such as aggression and self-injury. The purpose of this case study was to illustrate the impact that behavior plans and the adherence to these plans can have on reducing problem behaviors. This study focuses on one individual diagnosed with Mild MR over the course of seven years who exhibited numerous problem behaviors upon his admission to the Springbrook Residential and School Program. During the past seven years numerous behavior plans have been implemented and followed by direct support staff. Since this individual’s admission and the implementation of these plans, his behaviors have decreased significantly, leading to increased independence.

This study was presented as poster research at the New York State Association for Behavior Analysis annual conference 2007.

Evidence-Based Practice in the Treatment of Autism:  A Review of the Association Method

Jennifer Hanson, BS, BCaBA and Thomas Zane, Ph.D., BCBA-D

Fad treatments in autism are those strategies that have little or no evidence of effectiveness, based upon well-controlled, multiple studies and reasonable standards of quality research. The Association Method is another treatment being touted as helpful in promoting learning in children with autism. It is reputed to be effective in teaching written and oral language to students who exhibit speech and language impairments, including those with autism.  General methodologies include the teaching of small steps, pairing auditory and visual stimuli, and teaching expressive language abilities prior to receptive language. A review of the experimental literature failed to find any published study testing the effectiveness of the Association Method.  At this point in time, this method should be considered a fad treatment; it is yet another in a long line of unproven tactics marketed as being successful without empirical evidence.

Poster Presentation at New York State Association for Behavior Analysis annual conference, 2008.     

Presentation title: Punishment happens:  But can we use it? 

Brandon Nichols, MS, and Thomas Zane, Ph.D., BCBA-D with support from Sean Field, BS and Traci Lanner, MA, BCBA

Over the past 30 years there has been a considerable amount of research investigating the use of punishment in clinical settings. Punishment has been shown to be an effective course of treatment in managing severe problem behaviors. However, the research on punishment has several significant gaps as the ethical concerns associated with punishment have increased. Rules and regulations regarding the use of aversive stimuli have prohibited using physically or emotionally harmful stimuli as punishers. This paper will 1) review the different regulations in various states and organizations on punishment, 2) examine the different types of punishers and their role in shaping behaviors, 3) discuss the potential use of non-harmful yet aversive stimuli as punishers and the ethical concerns involved with them, and 4) describe a series of research questions related to these issues.

This paper was presented at Connecticut Association for Behavior Analysis annual conference in 2008 by Brandon Nichols, MS and Thomas Zane, Ph.D., BCBA-D.  Research efforts continue for possible future publication and presentation.

Symposium Title: Preference Assessment:  Where have we been?   Where are we going? 

• Abstract Title:  The Clinical Utility of Two Reinforcement Preference Assessment Techniques:  A Comparison of Duration of Assessment and Identification of Functional Reinforcers

Sean Field, BS, Jennifer Hanson, BS, BCaBA, Traci Lanner, MA, BCBA, Brandon Nichols, MS, Thomas Zane, Ph.D., BCBA-D

In order to maximize the learning of skills, it is crucial that the most powerful reinforcers be used.  The research literature has described several different methods of reinforcement preference assessment, including forced-choice, free-operant, and multiple stimulus array, to name but a few.  Researchers have also tested many variables to determine their potential impact on identification of reinforcers, including setting events, duration of exposure to tested stimuli, and differing schedules of delivery.  From a clinical perspective, an important question is “what is the most efficient preference assessment that will produce the most valid identification of potential reinforcers?”  The purpose of this study was to compare multiple stimulus and forced choice along two dimensions—duration to complete assessment, and identification of stimuli verified to function as reinforcers.  Four children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders served as subjects.  Upon selection of several stimuli that could potentially have been reinforcing, experimenters conducted two types of preference assessments per subject-multiple stimulus array without replacement and forced choice, using the same items.  Experimenters then verified reinforcing power by making each contingent on a sorting task that the individuals had not yet learned.  In this study, multiple stimulus without replacement was the faster assessment tool and similar identification of reinforcers was produced by both assessments.  Results and directions for future research were discussed. 

This study was presented at the Association for Behavior Analysis International Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, in May 2009 by Traci Lanner, MA, BCBA as part of the above titled symposium.  It is currently being prepared for journal submission.

This project was also presented at the New York State Association for Behavior Analysis annual convention, 2009 by Sean Field and Jennifer Hanson under the title:

Determining Preferred and Reinforcing Stimuli for Children with Developmental Disabilities: Implications for Clinical and Practical Assessment

It was published in the on-line journal, Behavior Analysis Today as follows:

Lanner, T., Nichols, B., Field, S., Hanson, J. & Zane, T.  (2010).  The clinical utility of two reinforcement preference assessment techniques: A comparison of duration of assessment and identification of functional reinforcers.  The Behavior Analyst Today, 10, 456-466.