文摘
Children with Down syndrome frequently display repetitive behavior including unusual routines, rituals, and stereotypy. Interventions for repetitive behavior in individuals with Down syndrome often include aversive procedures and are not informed by functional assessments despite effective function-based treatments for repetitive behavior with other populations. We used an analogue functional analysis to evaluate reinforcers maintaining repetitive behavior in three children with Down syndrome. Following identification of automatic functions, we used an ABAB design and a multiple-probe design to demonstrate the effectiveness of differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) in reducing repetitive behavior. DRO was effective in decreasing repetitive behavior and, for one participant, repetitive behavior remained low at 1, 2, and 3-month follow-up sessions. This study extends current functional analysis methodologies to decrease repetitive behavior for learners with Down syndrome.