Increasing conversations between older adults with dementia using textual stimuli.

Dementia often leads to behavior changes such as deficits in communication and social interaction; one effective antecedent strategy for improving communication involves rearranged or supplemental stimuli. In the present study, researchers placed individualized textual prompts on the dinner table of three women at an assisted-living facility. Textual stimuli included prompts such as "Debbie, ask Pat where she liked to travel," and led to increases in conversation duration.

Fading a concurrent activity during self-control training for children with autism.

We evaluated a modified technique for teaching self-control and increasing the duration of waiting for access to a preferred item among 3 children with autism. Participants initially chose an immediate small reinforcer over a delayed large reinforcer and a delayed large reinforcer with a concurrent activity requirement for the duration of the delay. When the delay to the larger reinforcer with the concurrent activity requirement was gradually increased from 0 s to the terminal delay, participants switched to and maintained selection of that option, thereby demonstrating increased self-control.