Passive and Active Approach Responses in Preference Assessment for Children With Profound Multiple Disabilities and Minimal Movement.

We assessed the activity preferences of three children with profound multiple disabilities and minimal movement using a single stimulus presentation procedure. We recorded active approach, passive approach, and rejection responses on each trial during the assessments. Active approach included reaching for, touching, or manipulating the stimulus.

An experimental test of stimulus estimation theory: danger and safety with snake phobic stimuli.

The stimulus estimation model (Taylor & Rachman, 1994) asserts that fear overprediction stems from: (a) overprediction of the danger elements of a phobic stimulus, and (b) underprediction of existing safety resources. Using a 2x2 factorial design, with danger (high vs low) and safety (high vs low) as between-subjects variables, an experimental test of the model was conducted with 25 snake-fearful participants per condition. The four experimental conditions were matched on initial levels of snake fearfulness, as assessed by the Snake Questionnaire (SNAQ).

Functional analysis of self-injurious behavior in an adult with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.

A three-phase functional analysis was conducted to discover controlling variables of self-injury in a 28-year-old individual with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. Experimental verification followed information-gathering and interpretive phases. Self-injurious responses were blocked to prevent harm to the participant; therefore, responses measured were precursors to self-injury.