Generation of contextually relevant stimulus control for initiation of leisure activities

Document Type

Thesis

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree

M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis

Date Completed

2015

First Committee Member

Bancroft, Stacie

Second Committee Member

Graff, Richard

Third Committee Member

Karsten, Amanda

Abstract

"Participation in leisure activities can compete with problem behavior, increase appropriate interactions with family, and enhance overall quality of life (Dodd, Zabriskie, Widmer, & Eggett, 2009; Fisher, O’Connor, Kurtz, DeLeon, & Gotjen, 2000; Lancioni, Singh, O’Relly, Oliva, & Basili, 2005; Lindberg, Iwata, Roscoe, Worsdell, & Hanley, 2003). Limitations on current methods for increasing leisure engagement include a high level of prompting or presence of a caregiver. Additionally, initiation of a leisure activity is often under the stimulus control of a specific verbal discriminative stimulus. Activity menus can be effective in providing increased choices to individuals with developmental disabilities. However, if initiation of menu use is under the control of a verbal directive, independence may still be limited. The current study extended previous research by teaching two individuals diagnosed with autism to choose and initiate an age-appropriate leisure activity using a menu when given a verbal directive. The second phase of the current study transferred stimulus control of this behavior chain from the verbal directive to appropriate contextual cues. This study used a multiple baseline design across participants and pairs. Following training, both participants engaged in leisure activities during appropriate contexts."

This document is available upon request to Western New England University faculty, students, and staff. Please contact D'Amour Library at for access.

Share

COinS