Behavioral Interventions for Children with Cerebral Palsy in a School Setting
摘要
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the leading cause of childhood physical impairment in the world. Problem behaviors, including self-injury, disruption, and responses associated with aggression, are commonly observed in children diagnosed with CP. This study describes the assessment and treatment of problem behaviors for three children with CP. The interventions were conducted in the classroom setting, with teachers and peers present. For participant one, the targeted behaviors were scratching and biting others, which were maintained by access to tangibles and escape from physical contact. A functional communication training (FCT) procedure was effective in establishing an alternative response that replaced scratching and biting. For the second participant, an FCT procedure was implemented to teach a communication response that successfully replaced spitting, which was maintained by peer and teacher attention. For the third participant, the targeted behavior was hand mouthing, which was maintained by automatic reinforcement. A response interruption and redirection (RIRD) procedure effectively reduced the problem behavior. These findings extend the generality of those of previous research, showing that FCT and RIRD are effective in reducing challenging behaviors in a special childhood setting, where teachers become the primary intervention agents.