Fitting_App1

potential behavioral response when stereotypy is interrupted

implementation needs high treatment fideilty to yield consistent outcomes for decreasing behavior

staff not implementing correctly

Expect continued rates of target bx.

Disrupting other students in classroom w/ competing stimulus.

“We will temporarily provide Cyrus access to a specific sensory item that we already know competes with his vocal stereotypy.”
This item helps reduce the stereotypy by giving his body/brain something else to engage with.
“We will plan when he can use that item, especially right before or during important learning tasks.”
This will help him stay more focused during table work and self-care tasks.

Limited engagement with the competing stimulus

Cyrus may not consistently interact with the alternative item.

Engagement may drop during demands because attention is focused on the task.

If engagement decreases, stereotypy may re-emerge.
2. Competing stimulus may interfere with learning
Even if the item reduces stereotypy, it may become distracting (you already noted this).
Some items may disrupt fine-motor tasks, writing, or sequencing tasks.
The item may not be appropriate or safe during self-care routines.

We are going to interrupt his vocal sterotypy and redirect him to completing the task at hand, so he doesn't continue to be distracted by the vocal stereotypy and engage successfully in tasks. Outcomes are varied but with consistency and effective reinforcement, results can be positive.

Difficult to implement consistently 100% of the time, may be hard to find effective reinforcers to maintain responding.

Discrimination training (i.e., free access versus response interruption) so that the student can learn appropriate times

Duration too long

- provide child with headphones and trial playing music to see if this helps him focus on the task at hand.
- look into other stimuli that help to reduce stimming and increase focus
- use re-direction and prompting to teach work skills and self-care.
- explain to caregivers that we can reduce the stereotypy so that he can participate more fully in school tasks and self-care tasks. However, the total elimination of stims isn't the goal as long as he can increase his participation.
- provide further education around why we don't try to eliminate all stims (e.g. they are likely being used to regulate the child)

- child might not be responsive to the use of headphones or other stimuli.
- caregivers may want to eliminate stims all together.
- behaviours might increase when redirection is provided.

Implementation Expectations:

Structured use of competing stimuli: During table work or self-care activities, the behavior analyst will provide Cyrus with specific items or activities that have been shown to reduce his vocal stereotypy. These items are carefully chosen to engage him without being overly distracting.

Scheduled and monitored sessions: The competing stimuli will be available only during targeted times, such as during educational tasks or self-care routines. Staff or caregivers will prompt engagement with the task while the stimuli are present.

Reinforcement for task engagement: Cyrus will receive positive reinforcement (praise, tokens, or access to preferred items) for completing steps of his educational or self-care tasks while vocal stereotypy is reduced.

Consistency: Staff and caregivers are expected to follow the same procedures each time, ensuring that the approach is applied consistently to maximize success.

Expected Outcomes:

Reduced vocal stereotypy during critical activities: The primary goal is for Cyrus to engage more with table work and self-care tasks while vocal stereotypy is minimized.

Increased skill acquisition: By reducing interference from stereotypy, Cyrus will be able to focus on learning and practicing new skills, leading to more natural reinforcement in his daily environment.

Gradual independence: Over time, as Cyrus learns to engage with tasks while managing stereotypy, the competing stimuli may be faded, leading to more independent task engagement without constant prompts.

Ongoing monitoring: Staff and caregivers should expect that progress will be tracked regularly, and adjustments will be made as needed based on how well the strategy is working.

Competing stimuli may be distracting:

Some items that reduce stereotypy may also draw attention away from the task, making it hard for Cyrus to engage in table work or self-care.

Staff may need to carefully select stimuli and gradually shape attention to the task.

Difficulty maintaining consistency:

If staff or caregivers inconsistently provide prompts, reinforcement, or access to stimuli, progress may be slower or uneven.

Resistance to fading stimuli:

Over time, the goal is to fade the competing stimulus, but Cyrus may initially rely on it heavily, making fading challenging.

Generalization to different settings or staff:

The behavior may resurge in new environments (e.g., therapy room vs. home) or with staff who implement the procedures slightly differently.

Limited natural reinforcement for tasks:

If the educational or self-care tasks themselves are not intrinsically reinforcing, Cyrus may still struggle to engage even with competing stimuli.

Reinforcers may need to be carefully selected and gradually shifted toward natural contingencies.

Potential for escape-maintained behaviors:

If the tasks are challenging, Cyrus might attempt escape behaviors that interfere with implementation of the plan.

Resource and time constraints:

Staff may find it difficult to deliver reinforcement, prompts, and stimuli systematically, especially in busy group or classroom settings.