E. Peck et al., Reduction of stereotypic motor behavior in a child with acquired brain injury through contingent instructional-pacing, CHILD FAM, 21(2), 1999, pp. 67-75
Contingent instructional-pacing was used successfully to reduce the frequen
cy of stereotypic motor behavior displayed by a 15-year old boy with acquir
ed brain injury. The intervention procedure consisted of presenting verbal
instructions to the boy that required him to perform a simple motor respons
e, for a two minute duration, each time stereotypy was demonstrated. During
a treatment fading phase, the duration of application was decreased to one
minute. This intervention was developed as a method of interrupting the pe
rformance of stereotypic behavior and removing contact with response-elicit
ed sensory stimulation. As evaluated in a single-case withdrawal design, th
e instructional-pacing intervention reduced stereotypic motor behavior to a
near zero frequency. The boy was compliant during implementation of the pr
ocedure and no negative effects were encountered. The procedure represents
one of several contingently applied "interruption" techniques that have rel
evance in behavior support programming for children with acquired brain inj
ury.