Je. Mcentee et Rr. Saunders, A RESPONSE-RESTRICTION ANALYSIS OF STEREOTYPY IN ADOLESCENTS WITH MENTAL-RETARDATION - IMPLICATIONS FOR APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS, Journal of applied behavior analysis, 30(3), 1997, pp. 485-506
The behavior of 4 adolescents with severe or profound mental retardati
on was evaluated in the presence of four sets of materials during peri
ods of unstructured leisure activity. Functional engagement with the m
aterials, stereotypic engagement with the materials, stereotypy withou
t interaction with the materials, and other aberrant behaviors were re
corded. Across a series of experimental conditions, the number of sets
of materials was reduced from four to one by eliminating the set::mos
t frequently manipulated in each preceding condition. In the final con
dition, four sets of materials were again made available for manipulat
ion. The procedures replicated Green and Striefel's (1988) response-re
striction analysis of the activity preferences and play behaviors of c
hildren with autism. In general, the results of the present experiment
replicate those of Green and Striefel in that reallocation of respond
ing was idiosyncratic and unpredictable as sets of materials were remo
ved. Nevertheless, the results provided insight into how responding mi
ght be reallocated if it were restricted through behavioral interventi
ons rather than by restriction of access. Thus, the results are discus
sed with respect to how response-restriction analyses may be useful in
identifying topographies of behavior that could be included in differ
ential reinforcement contingencies that are designed to affect stereot
ypic behavior and in the selection and arrangement of environmental st
imuli to minimize the presence of evokers of stereotypy.