Brief report: Reduction of inappropriate vocalizations for a child with autism using a self-management treatment program

Self-management procedures that incorporate elements of self-assessment, se lf-recording, and self-reinforcement have reduced stereotypic (i.e., repeti tive) behaviors in children with autism in clinical settings. This study ex amined the affects of a self-management program used to reduce high rates o f inappropriate vocalizations (e.g.. humming, tongue clucking, perseverativ e and echolalic words/phrases) in a 12-year-old girl having autism served i n a public school classroom. When self-management was applied to inappropri ate vocalizations in a multiple-baseline design during leisure, prevocation al, and reading tasks, the occurrence of vocalizations decreased. implicati ons for teaching these procedures in classroom settings are discussed.