The use of behavior modification techniques for the treatment of hemodialysis patient non-compliance: a case study.

This study concerns a renal patient who was non-compliant to staff requests to monitor his blood clotting times. The non-compliant behavior was resolved within six treatment sessions through the combined use of contracting, shaping, stimulus control, discrimination training and social and material reinforcement. Follow-ups at 30, 60 and 90 days revealed a high degree of patient compliance and accuracy in taking and recording his blood clotting times. Implications for behavior modification techniques in the field of hemodialysis are briefly discussed.