Assessing preference for treatments to decrease inappropriate sexualized behavior in individuals with autism

Document Type

Thesis

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree

M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis

Date Completed

2018

First Committee Member

Ahearn, William H.

Second Committee Member

Bourret, Jason C.

Third Committee Member

Henley, Amy J.

Abstract

"Inappropriate sexualized behavior (ISB), such as public masturbation, is challenging sexual behavior that is likely maintained by automatic reinforcement (Emerson et al., 2001; Lockhart, Guerin, Shanahan & Coyle, 2009; Ward & Bosek, 2002). This behavior occurs in some individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and may be related to social deficits; particularly, a lack of salience of the negative social consequences that typically follow such behavior (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1996; Dewinter, Vermeiren, Vanwesenbeck & Van Nieuwenheuizen, 2013). Response interruption and redirection has been successful in decreasing other behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement such as a stereotypy (Ahearn, Clark, MacDonald & Chung, 2007; Martinez & Betz, 2013). The purpose of the current study was to systematically replicate previous research, which found that two treatments, RIRD and response interruption (RI) were equally effective in reducing engagement in ISB in several individuals (Cividini-Motta, Moore, Fish, Priehs & Ahearn, in review). Additionally, this study sought to solicit participant preference for treatment. The procedures were evaluated via an ABAB design with an alternating treatments comparison during the B condition. Three individuals diagnosed with ASD, ages 20, 19 and 17 years old participated in the study. For all participants, both treatments were equally effective, and in the post-treatment selection condition, two participants selected RIRD, while one selected RI."

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