Discrimination training reduces high rate social approach behaviors in Angelman syndrome: proof of principle.
A red card can act like a stop sign, cutting excessive hugs and climbs by half in kids with Angelman syndrome.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Four children with Angelman syndrome kept hugging, touching, and climbing on adults.
The team ran short teaching trials. When a green card was on the table, attention stayed available. When a red card appeared, the adult turned away—no eye contact, no words.
They tracked how often each child approached the adult across baseline and training.
What they found
Every child learned the red card meant “not now.” Social approaches dropped by half or more as soon as the red card showed up.
The behavior stayed low even when the card was removed later, showing the kids had learned the rule, not just the picture.
How this fits with other research
Hilton et al. (2010) did the same trick first. They used a black lanyard to signal extinction to an adult with intellectual disability. Capio et al. (2013) copied the plan and proved it still works for young children with Angelman syndrome.
Reid et al. (2005) asked: once kids learn the cue, can you drop it? Their preschoolers kept the good discrimination even after the colored cards vanished. The Angelman kids did the same, so the effect travels across ages and diagnoses.
Murphy et al. (2014) taught kids with autism to spot “right” vs “wrong” answers by making consequences extra clear. Both studies show that sharpening the signal—whether a red card or a bright display—breaks through stubborn learning barriers.
Why it matters
If a child clings or pounces on staff, you don’t need harsh words or physical blocks. A simple visual cue—card, lanyard, bracelet—can teach “adult is busy.” Start with short periods, then stretch them. You get breathing room without damaging the relationship, and the child still receives plenty of attention when the cue is gone.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This proof of principle study was designed to evaluate whether excessively high rates of social approach behaviors in children with Angelman syndrome (AS) can be modified using a multiple schedule design. Four children with AS were exposed to a multiple schedule arrangement, in which social reinforcement and extinction, cued using a novel stimulus, were alternated. Twenty-five to 35 discrimination training sessions were conducted and levels of approach behaviors were measured before and after the discrimination training for two children. All four participants evidenced discrimination between conditions of reinforcement and extinction after 16-20 teaching sessions as indicated by lower rates of social approach behaviors in the presence of the S(Δ) for extinction. Reversal effects for the two children for whom this design was implemented were evident. The results demonstrate that after repeated training, the use of a novel stimulus can serve as a cue for children with AS to discriminate adult availability. This is a potentially effective component of a broader intervention strategy but highlights the need for sustained teaching procedures within this population.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2013 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2013.02.012