The reductive effects of reinforcement procedures on the genital stimulation and stereotypy of a mentally retarded adolescent male

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of access to opportunities to earn edibles for performing a high probability stereotypic behavior on the public genital stimulation and stereotypy of a severely retarded male in a special education class. The treatment involved the use of a series of increasing DRO lengths in which the absence of genital stimulation was reinforced with edibles and a stereotypic behavior. Later, we attempted to reduce the rate of stereotypy by withdrawing the edibles that had been provided for it during the reinforcement period. The results indicated that (a) genital stimulation was nearly eliminated with the graduated DRO procedure; (b) withholding the edibles had little effect in reducing the stereotypic behavior; and (c) edibles alone were enough to maintain the reductions in genital stimulation. These findings suggest that public genital stimulation is amenable to treatment with a positive treatment procedure, but more research with the reinforcer displacement technique is needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn about its effectiveness in an applied setting.