REDUCING STEREOTYPIC BEHAVIOR BY TEACHING ORIENTING RESPONSES TO ENVIRONMENTAL STIMULI

This study investigated the feasibility of decreasing the stereotypic behavior of two adolescents with autism by teaching them to increase o rienting responses to their environment using an external prompt. Both participants exhibited high rates of stereotypic behaviors, one in th e form of physical rigidify and stereotyped eye movements, the other i n the form of perseverative speech and repeated gesturing They were ta ught to increase the amount of appropriate orienting to natural stimul i in community settings. Within a multiple baseline design across sett ings, both demonstrated decreases in stereotypic behavior as appropria te orienting increased.