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Biomedical subjects

J Rojahn

Publications and source records attributed to J Rojahn.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Aversive conditioning of visual screening with aromatic ammonia for treating aggressive and disruptive behavior in a developmentally disabled child.

This study investigated the usefulness of aversive conditioning of a mild punishment procedure that had ceased to suppress target behaviors to clinically acceptable levels. A 6.8-year-old severely retarded boy with high levels of aggressive, destructive, and loud screeching behaviors was readmitted to a psychiatric facility to adjust behavioral programs and rule out seizure disorder. A design combining withdrawal and multiple baselines across behaviors tested for effects of aversive conditioning of visual screening with ammonia and the impact of anticonvulsant medication (carbamazepine, phenytoin). Data indicated that aversively conditioned visual screening temporarily lowered rates of responding. It is tentatively concluded that aversive conditioning might be a useful mechanism to strengthen suppressive effects of mild punishment procedures and a promising approach for alleviating placement problems due to maladaptive behaviors in mentally retarded persons. Maintenance of treatment effects, community placement, and the mandate to choose the least restrictive aversive treatment alternative are discussed. Anticonvulsant medication showed no beneficial effect for the target behaviors investigated.

Anticonvulsants↗
PubMed1988

Comment on Starin and Fuqua's (1987) review of research on rumination and vomiting.

Starin and Fuqua seriously misread a critical study cited in their recent review in failing to characterize it as an experimental analysis of four treatment procedures, and therefore inappropriately criticized it for several shortcomings. This misreading and a tendency to equate vomiting with and without rumination compromise their conclusions regarding treatment choice. At the present time, the data base favors selection of several aversive procedures and the nonaversive satiation procedure over others, but the number of studies on nonaversive operant treatment procedures remains remarkably limited.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1987

Multiple treatment interference in the alternating treatments design as a function of the intercomponent interval length.

In experimental designs requiring the administration of more than one treatment to the same subject(s), the effect of one treatment may be influenced by the effect of another treatment (Campbell & Stanley, 1963), a phenomenon known as multiple treatment interference. We conducted two studies in which multiple treatment interference in an alternating treatments design was shown to be a function of the length of the intercomponent interval (ICI) separating treatment conditions. In the first study, we evaluated the effects of four different treatments on the mouthing of a severely retarded boy. Under a 1-min ICI no consistent differential responding to treatment was obtained. Differential responding emerged when the ICI was increased from 1 min to 120 min, thus suggesting multiple treatment interference in the lack of differential responding under a 1-min changeover interval. Functional control of the nondifferential and differential responding as a function of the ICI length was replicated in a reversal phase. In the second study, we compared two treatment procedures for the disruptive noncompliant behavior of a moderately retarded boy. Multiple treatment interference (i.e., the lack of differential responding) occurred with the 1-min intercomponent interval. An increase to a 120-min ICI again resulted in differential responding. A replication of multiple treatment interference by a reversal to a short interval phase was not achieved in the second subject. Results of this study support much of the basic literature on discrimination and multiple treatment interference.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1986

Subjective stress sensitivity and physiological responses to an aversive auditory stimulus in migraine and control subjects.

Subjective stress sensitivity and physiological parameters were compared between 24 migraine subjects and 24 matched headache-free controls during a multifrequency 85-dB (A) aversive auditory stressor and during a recovery period. Measures consisted of frontalis EMG, temporal artery blood volume pulse, heart rate, a stress sensitivity questionnaire, stress reaction during the stress-expectation period, and ratings of noise aversiveness. Migraine subjects showed a higher level of general stress sensitivity, increased situational stress sensitivity, and higher ratings of noise aversiveness; this supports the general notion that migraine sufferers are psychologically more sensitive toward stress stimulation than nonheadache controls. Physiologically, the migraine subjects differed from the control group only with regard to the temporal blood volume pulse during stress stimulation; this finding is consistent with Wolff's weak-link theory.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Self-injurious and stereotypic behavior of noninstitutionalized mentally retarded people: prevalence and classification.

A nationwide mail survey on self-injurious behavior (SIB) and stereotypies was carried out among noninstitutionalized mentally retarded people in the Federal Republic of Germany. The estimated SIB prevalence among 25,872 retarded persons from 294 service facilities was 1.7%, which is considerably lower than earlier estimates based on samples of institutionalized persons. Prevalence of stereotypic behavior among individuals with SIB was 65%, compared to 62% in a control sample of persons without SIB. A cluster analysis distinguished three SIB clusters. Different types of stereotypic behavior were found to be differentially related to different types of SIB.

Female↗
PubMed1982

[Problems in the preparation and testing of anti-human globulin sera with regard to their use].

The problems in manufacturing and testing A.H.G. sera with regard to their application are presented. The sera offered at present do not answer the requirements wanted. Therefore, the properties of the A.H.G. sera to be demanded in practice are presented and the methods of manufacture, the criteria of testing them, and the results thereof, as well, are presented.

Antibody Specificity↗
PubMed1982

[Preservation of Coombs' serum in liquid nitrogen].

Experiments with Coombs-sera as raw and usable sera having different levels of titre were carried out in order to examine their stability in fluid nitrogen. Therewith, significant differences concerning the storing stability did not appear. Generally seen two third of the sera retained their initial titres at the end of one year in store.

Coombs Test↗
PubMed1982

Environmental antecedents which affect management and maintenance of programs for self-injurious behavior.

This paper reports the effects of several environmental variables on the management and maintenance of a treatment program for self-injurious behavior (SIB) in residents in a state facility for retarded persons. Fifteen of the clients who participated in a developmental day-care program were compared across the final four months of the program and then at follow-up two years later. Twelve additional clients who were treated in the overall SIB program did not receive the day-care component, but were included in the follow-up study. Regarding program management, the effects of time, staff-initiated interactions, the presence of a newcomer or disruptive client, and medication changes on the behaviors of the 15 clients in the day-care program were assessed from an ecobehavioral approach. Participants in the follow-up study were compared with respect to the type of SIB program they received, the staff-patient ratio in their program, their visual impairment, use of self-protective devices, presence of stimulating material, and time-of-day observed. These issues are discussed in relation to program maintenance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Ecological assessment of self-protective devices in three profoundly retarded adults.

Three profoundly retarded adults were observed in an experimental daycare program when they were not wearing self-protective restraints and when they were wearing them to prevent pica and rectal digging. The noncontingently applied devices did eliminate the target behaviors, but they also decreased social interactions between the subjects and their caretakers. A camisole was found to be even more restrictive than a fencing mask.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Chronic ruminative vomiting: a comparison of four treatment procedures.

An experimental analysis of a case of chronic ruminative vomiting in a 15-year-old, profoundly retarded, Down's syndrome boy addressed the consequences of vomiting in the postmealtime environment. The experiment compared four treatments in each hour-long session using a multiple reinforcement schedule with order of the following procedures counterbalanced over days in a Latin square design: differential reinforcement of any behaviors other than vomiting (DRO) in which periods of no vomiting were followed by reinforcement and vomiting postponed reinforcement; differential reinforcement of specific behaviors alternative to vomiting (DRI) in which conjoint periods of no vomiting and sustained toy play were followed by reinforcement and the lack of either postponed reinforcement; extinction plus reinforcement of alternative behavior in which vomiting was ignored but toy play was reinforced; extinction in which vomiting was ignored. Data revealed an orderly dual cyclical pattern of vomiting throughout the day, with increased vomiting in the morning and immediately following food ingestion. Postluncheon treatments emphasizing reinforcement of alternative behavior were more successful in decreasing vomiting than DRO or extinction alone.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

The definition, taxonomy, epidemiology, and ecology of self-injurious behavior.

The paper is a theoretical analysis of the evolution of the concepts related primarily to the definition and to the antecedents of self-injurious behavior (SIB). It was found that the definition of SIB as currently used contains surplus meanings unrelated to its scientific utility. At present, a restricted definition of SIB is not warranted because its basic parameters have not been studied adequately. Analysis of SIB taxonomies suggests two subclasses of SIB: social and nonsocial. Epidemiological studies of SIB suggest chronic and acute subsamples that differ in organicity, chronicity, and length of institutionalization. Ecological analysis suggests that a variety of antecedent conditions affect rates and topographies of SIB, e.g., ambient environmental conditions, background settings, situational demands, self-restraint, and type of daily routine activity. Implications were drawn for the organization of therapeutic environments, the study of covariation among collateral topographies, the dynamics of SIB responding, and sequential dependencies among SIB and related topographies.

Autistic Disorder↗