Component analysis and stimulus control assessment of a behavior deceleration treatment package.
A snug headband can replace a bulky helmet to silence loud vocal stereotypy in teens with developmental delays.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team tested a light headband that squeezes the skull. They wanted to see if this small pressure could stop loud screaming and whining.
Teens with developmental delays wore the band during sessions. Staff tightened it only when vocal stereotypy started. They used a changing-criterion design to track how little pressure still worked.
What they found
Cranial pressure alone cut the screaming to near zero. The slim headband replaced the usual bulky helmet. Gains held without extra gear.
How this fits with other research
Luiselli (1986) used a full helmet to stop self-injury. The new study keeps the idea but drops the size, showing less can do more.
Reichow et al. (2009) saw a pressure vest fail and even raise problem behavior. The vest covered the trunk, not the head, and was used with a preschooler. Head pressure on older teens works better.
Vanderkerken et al. (2013) meta-analysis backs mixing antecedent and consequence tactics. The headband adds a quick, wearable antecedent that pairs easily with any consequence you already use.
Why it matters
You can swap a heavy helmet for a simple sports headband. It is cheaper, less stigmatizing, and keeps the client’s face visible for teaching. Try it when loud vocal stereotypy peaks and you need a fast, portable option.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
A treatment package that included two setting condition manipulations and visual occlusion was implemented to gain control over the high-intensity screaming and whining of a 16-year-old female with developmental disabilities. The study included an analysis of the individual and combined components of the treatment package and a stimulus control analysis of three salient features of the visual occlusion apparatus (i.e., opaque screen, secured helmet, and cranial pressure). Results showed that the treatment package occasioned a deceleration in the two targeted vocal behaviors and a reduction in the amount of time the participant was required to wear the occlusion apparatus. An analysis of the apparatus suggested that the critical element needed to control inappropriate vocalizations appeared to be cranial pressure, which was naturally produced by the helmet. Consequently, the helmet was eliminated and cranial pressure was produced by a woman's headband. Follow-up data, collected 1, 2, and 3 months after termination of systematic intervention, revealed near-zero levels of screaming and whining behaviors. A 9-month follow-up investigation involving the removal and subsequent reinstatement of the headband procedure supported the use of the headband for the maintenance of behavioral gains.
Research in developmental disabilities, 1996 · doi:10.1016/0891-4222(96)00004-2