Contingency-Based Delay to Reinforcement Following Functional Communication Training for Autistic Individuals: A Multilevel Meta-Analysis
Autism
Muharib, R., Dowdy, A., et al. (2022).
Autism, 26(4), 761-781.
This systematic review and meta-analysis investigates the effects of using reinforcement schedule thinning with contingency-based delays following functional communication training on challenging behaviors (e.g., aggression, self-injury, property destruction, disruption, elopement, disrobing) with individuals on the autism spectrum, individuals on the autism spectrum with additional diagnoses, or individuals with other diagnoses.
No funding received
Not stated
Experimental study designs
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Reinforcement schedule thinning (RST) with contingency-based delays following functional communication training demonstrated positive effects for individuals on the autism spectrum (LRRd= -2.17, SE= 0.28, df= 21.41, 95% CI= -2.76 to -1.58), individuals on the spectrum with additional diagnoses (LRRd= -2.14, SE= 0.31, df= 16.04, 95% CI= -2.80 to -1.50), and individuals with a diagnosis other than autism (LRRd= -1.95, SE= 0.66, df= 6.49, 95% CI= -3.55 to -0.35). "Contingency-based RST procedures have produced robust and durable intervention outcomes across heterogeneous intervention contexts. Specifically, behavioral interventions that attempt to address challenging behavior in a manner that can accommodate an individual’s natural environment are more successful when they (a) are implemented often, (b) include specific behavioral expectations of the individual during periods of nonreinforcement, and (c) involve positive reinforcement" (p. 777).
