Stereotypy as Reinforcer for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Who Engage in Stereotypy

Abstract

This study examined the use of objects that evoke stereotypy as reinforcers for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The participants included three children with ASD aged 3–6 in Study 1 and two children with ASD ages 6 and 7 in Study 2. In Study 1, the three participants displayed target behavior more in an intervention in which objects were used that evoke stereotypy as reinforcers, than in the baseline period. In Study 2, involving two participants, pairing praise with using objects that evoke stereotypy in training in response to joint attention led to a more correct performance of response to joint attention. Furthermore, analysis of the occurrence of stereotypy in the intervention showed that the participants displayed more stereotypy during the reinforcement sequences than during the trial sequences. This suggests that objects that evoke stereotypy can be used as reinforcers for children with ASD.