Recent advances in the assessment of aberrant behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement in individuals with developmental disabilities

Many aberrant behaviors exhibited by individuals with developmental disabil ities are maintained by "automatic reinforcement". These behaviors are ofte n difficult to treat, with the most effective behavioral interventions ofte n resulting in only moderate success. However, a series of recent studies h as advanced our ability to understand and treat these behaviors through the innovative use of behavioral assessment. We review the recent development of three categories of assessments: (a) nonhypothesis-based stimulus prefer ence assessments, (b) hypothesis-based stimulus preference assessments, and (c) hypothesis-based assessments incorporating noncontingent reinforcement and sensory extinction procedures. We consider each category's contributio n to both our ability to prescribe effective behavioral interventions and o ur ability to more fully understand the concept of automatic reinforcement. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.