A Component Analysis of the Effects of Response Interruption and Redirection on Vocal Stereotypy in an Adult with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

There has been much research into evaluating the effectiveness of response interruption and redirection (RIRD) in the reduction of vocal stereotypy in children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research has indicated that RIRD often results in the reduction in level of vocal stereotypy in this population. However, only one previous study has evaluated the efficacy of RIRD on vocal stereotypy for participants older than 18 years old. Furthermore, though some studies point to punishment as the mechanism by which RIRD produces its effects (Ahearn et al., 2007; Aherns et al., 2011), it is still described as a redirection procedure with unclear contingencies (Cassella et al., 2011). This study used the uninterrupted data collection procedures described by Carroll and Kodak (2014) and Wunderlich and Vollmer (2015) which have been shown to provide a more accurate analysis compared to the interrupted technique. Additionally, this study replicated and expanded upon Wunderlich and Vollmer (2015) by introducing a component analysis of the effects of RIRD on an adult participant. The results showed that motor RIRD was effective in reducing the vocal stereotypy, that random talking may be an establishing operation for vocal stereotypy, and that levels of appropriate vocalizations, while initially suppressed for 12 sessions, did not change meaningfully throughout the study

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