Date of Award
12-2012
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Mark W. Steege PhD
Second Advisor
Rachel Brown PhD
Third Advisor
Wayne W. Fisher PhD
Keywords
Discriminative stimuli, functional communication training, PsyD
Abstract
The purpose of this dissertation is to describe a doctoral research study designed to compare use of contrived and naturally occurring discriminative stimuli when using multiple schedules to thin reinforcement following functional communication training and their subsequent efficacy when introduced to novel contexts. Results indicated for one participant training with contrived stimuli was most effective, both contrived and naturally occurring stimuli were similarly effective for a second, and further modifications of a) pairing specific therapists to training conditions and, (b) adding toys during EXT components were necessary for either training condition to be effective for a third. For one participant, contrived discriminative stimuli were necessary to generalize the effects of FCT in novel contexts that are topographically similar.
Recommended Citation
Shamlian, Kenneth D. PsyD, "Evaluation of Multiple Schedules With Naturally Occurring and Contrived Discriminative Stimuli Following Functional Communication Training" (2012). All Student Scholarship. 363.
https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/etd/363
