Date of Award

Spring 4-22-2019

Thesis Type

Open Access

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis and Clinical Science

Department

Health Professions

Committee Member(s)

Kara Wunderlich, PhD, BCBA-D

Stephanie Kincaid, PhD, BCBA-D

Eb Blakely, PhD, BCBA-D

Abstract

Restricted or repetitive interests are one of the hallmark characteristics of an autism diagnosis, and this characteristic can sometimes be present in a child’s toy-play. The current study explored the effects of a lag schedule and visual discriminative stimuli on the variability of selection of play items for two children with autism. The researcher used an ABAB reversal design to reinforce variability in play selection and then slowly and systematically faded the stimuli associated with the intervention. The results were idiosyncratic across participants. For one subject, the lag schedule alone maintained variable selection of toys, and the visual discriminative stimuli were successfully faded from the intervention package. For another subject, the intervention was ineffective in evoking variable play.

Rights Holder

Amelia Nelson

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