SHAPING APPROACH RESPONSES AS INTERVENTION FOR SPECIFIC PHOBIA IN A CHILD WITH AUTISM

• Published in: Journal of applied behavior analysis Vol. 39; no. 4; pp. 445 - 448
• Main Authors: Ricciardi, Joseph N., Luiselli, James K., Camare, Marianne
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-12-2006; Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior; The Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
• Subjects: Anxiety; Autism; Autistic Disorder - diagnosis; Autistic Disorder - psychology; Autistic Disorder - therapy; Behavior Problems; changing-criterion design; Child; Children; Children & youth; Cognitive Ability; contact desensitization; Data Analysis; Desensitization; Desensitization, Psychologic - methods; Developmental disabilities; Fear; Fear & phobias; Hospitals; Humans; Intervention; Male; Males; Medical treatment; Mental institutions; Outcomes of Treatment; Phobic Disorders - diagnosis; Phobic Disorders - psychology; Phobic Disorders - therapy; Positive reinforcement; Prevention; Reinforcement; Reinforcement (Psychology); Research Design; specific phobia; Stimuli; Therapists
• ISSN: 0021-8855; 1938-3703
• DOI: 10.1901/jaba.2006.158-05

We evaluated contact desensitization (reinforcing approach responses) as intervention for specific phobia with a child diagnosed with autism. During hospital‐based intervention, the boy was able to encounter previously avoided stimuli. Parental report suggested that results were maintained postdischarge.