Assessment and treatment of disruptive behavior maintained by escape from dental procedures

Document Type

Thesis

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree

M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis

Date Completed

2014

First Committee Member

Sassi, Jessica

Second Committee Member

Hanley, Gregory

Third Committee Member

Roscoe, Eileen

Abstract

"Dental appointments can be an aversive event for almost anyone, given the intrusive nature of the procedures and the physical discomfort they oftentimes produce. Further, the contingencies of proper dental care on future health may be too delayed or otherwise unclear to children. The contingencies regarding how the child is expected to respond when procedures are presented during the dental visits themselves may also be unclear. The dentist may not always inform the patient when a break will be given and/or if it is contingent on their responding during or simply on the duration of the procedure at hand. A study done by Akbay, Dulgergil, and Sonmez (2009) found that within a sample group of children aged 7- to 11-years-old, 14.5% were reported to have fear of the dentist (as measured by a questionnaire), and they were directly observed to exhibit fear-like behavior during a dental examination done at the children’s school. Children with autism and other developmental disabilities often have an even more difficult time, as a defining characteristic of autism is aversion to breaks in routine and introduction of novel environments (Marshall, Sheller, Manci, & Williams, 2008). Marshall et al. (2008) also explained that they often exhibit disruptive behaviors during dental visits, which make appointments difficult for both the target individual and the dentist as well. Physical and chemical restraint are often used to ensure completion of the dental procedures during their visits (Allen, Loiben, Allen, & Stanley, 1992). Because dental care is an important part of an individual’s overall health, it is important that children who exhibit problem behavior during dental procedures still receive proper dental treatment."

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