MOMENTUM AND EXTINCTION EFFECTS ON SELF-INJURIOUS ESCAPE BEHAVIOR ANDNONCOMPLIANCE

Previous research on applications of behavioral momentum has indicated that a high-probability (high-p) instructional sequence, in which a s eries of instructions for which there is a high probability of complia nce is presented immediately before an instruction for which there is a low probability of compliance, is an effective method for increasing compliance. It is not clear, however, whether the procedure is effect ive when individuals actively attempt to escape from the instructional situation. In this study, we examined the effects of the high-p seque nce, when implemented first alone and then later with an extinction co mponent, as treatment for the self-injurious escape behavior of 2 indi viduals. Results showed that when the instructional sequence was imple mented without extinction, rates of self-injury increased and percenta ge of compliance decreased. In addition, the percentage of trials occa sioning escape behavior increased for both high- and low-probability i nstructions. When an extinction component was added to the high-p sequ ence, rates of self-injury and the percentage of trials containing sel f-injury decreased, and compliance increased. These findings suggest t hat extinction may be an important component of treatment when escape behavior such as self-injury accompanies noncompliance in instructiona l contexts and competes with compliant behavior.