A REPLICATION TO INCREASE HAPPINESS INDEXES AMONG SOME PEOPLE WITH PROFOUND MULTIPLE DISABILITIES

A replication of Green and Reid was made for four people with profound multiple disabilities by systematically increasing their happiness in dices in a Fun;rime activity during which their preferred stimuli were provided. In ABAB reversal designs, 3 of the 4 participants replicate d the demonstration of the the happiness indices, while the fourth ind ividual showed reduced unhappiness indices when his preferred stimulat ion was presented. These effects were obtained despite the selection o f preferred stimuli without formal assessment procedures and the use o f brief training procedures for staff providing the stimulation. A sub group of three individuals with profound multiple disabilities and min imal (almost no) movement failed to show any indices of happiness or u nhappiness with this procedure. Uses for happiness indices were discus sed. Alternative programming was suggested for individuals who failed to show any indices of happiness. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.