Biomedical subjects

William H Ahearn

Publications and source records attributed to William H Ahearn.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

On the role of preference in response competition.

A duration-based preference assessment identified items that matched and did not match the sensory consequences hypothesized to maintain stereotypy. When evaluated in treatment, these items effectively competed with the occurrence of stereotypy, regardless of their sensory properties. It is suggested that relative preference, as measured in duration-based assessment, can be as significant as type of stimulation produced in interventions that reduce automatically reinforced problem behavior.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Using simultaneous presentation to increase vegetable consumption in a mildly selective child with autism.

A multiple baseline design was used to evaluate the effects of adding condiments on the consumption of previously rejected foods (vegetables). Adding condiments produced increased food acceptance across three food items. Data are discussed in relation to conditioned food preferences and establishing operations.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Persistence of stereotypic behavior: examining the effects of external reinforcers.

Basic research has shown that behavioral persistence is often positively related to rate of reinforcement. This relation, expressed in the metaphor of behavioral momentum, has potentially important implications for clinical application. The current study examined one prediction of the momentum metaphor for automatically reinforced behavior. Participants were 3 children who had been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder and who engaged in stereotypic behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement. Results suggested that stereotypic behavior was more resistant to disruption following periods of access to preferred stimuli delivered on a variable-time schedule than following periods without access to preferred stimuli. The implications of these findings for the treatment of automatically reinforced behavior are discussed.

Attention↗