Use of sensory reinforcement to increase compliant behavior of a child who is blind and profoundly mentally retarded.

Introduction

There is a need to determine which physical education programming techniques are most beneficial in teaching students who display noncompliant behavior and have profound mental retardation with visual impairment. Generally, techniques used to develop compliant behavior in physical education settings involve use of systematic instruction. Frequently, operant conditioning is used with systematic instruction in programming children who demonstrate noncompliant behavior to facilitate learning of functional gross motor skills and to increase probability of greater independence.

Numerous researchers have demonstrated the influence of operant conditioning on the ability of sighted individuals who are severely or profoundly mentally retarded to increase their standing ability, walking, tricycle riding, and ball handling skills. However, chronically noncompliant persons who are also blind were not included in these studies.

In past studies, numerous consequences were used, ranging from edibles and verbal praise to aversive techniques. One reinforcer that has been suggested is the use of music. This type of reinforcer seems appropriate for use in a physical education setting to increase compliant behavior since students who are profoundly mentally retarded frequently respond favorably to music. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the influence of music as a reinforcer on gross motor performance of a child who is blind and profoundly mentally retarded.

The Study

The subject was a legally blind, 10-year-old child who is also profoundly mentally retarded (IQ=10). He has lived for the last 7 years in a residential center located in northern Texas. One year before the study the boy could see with corrective glasses (20/30), but due to a detached retina and subsequent operations, he became legally blind. Before the operations, he was able to walk independently, climb stairs, stand in an upright position, and sit in a chair with normal posture. After the operations he did not demonstrate independence on any of these gross motor skills. For instance, when asked to perform these activities, the subject would stomp his feet, sit on the floor, bite the instructors's hand, and had to be physically assisted.

An AB time series design across behaviors was used to investigate the influence of music on decreasing the child's noncompliant behavior to perform four gross motor skills (i.e., walking, stairclimbing, standing, and sitting). The design involved a baseline and an intervention phase. In the baseline phase, skill training began with all four motor skills without reinforcement being provided. The child was required to participate in a minimum of six baseline sessions per skill. After this, the baseline sessions continued until stability of performance was achieved.

During the intervention phase the child was required to participate in a minimum of 15 sessions per skill in which music could be earned for correct performance. During the intervention phase the only cues given to initiate the task were the words, "Child's name, particular skill (i.e., walk up the stairs), and play the music." After the 15 sessions, as in the baseline phase, stability was again-needed before completing this phase.

Generalization data on each skill were also collected 24 hours before the baseline and 24 hours after the intervention phase to determine if the skills could be transferred into new environments. The new environments were: (a) walking independently down a different hall other than the one used in the study while going to class, (b) climbing another set of stairs, (c) standing straight while an aide assisted in changing his clothes, and (d) sitting up straight while eating. The baseline procedure was replicated 2 weeks and 3 months following treatment to determine if learning had been maintained.

Results

Level of performance for all four gross motor skills increased noticeably when music was introduced as a reinforcer. Furthermore, the terminal objective of any training program is that functional skills being taught will be generalized and maintained over time to appropriate situations in the individual's environment. In the present investigation, the child was able to maintain his level of performance after 2 weeks on all four skills, and on one skill (i.e., stairclimbing) after 3 months of follow-up with slight decreases on two skills (i.e., sitting and standing), and decrease on one skill (i.e., walking). The child was also able to generalize all four gross motor skills by demonstrating high increases in performance in a natural environment. It appears that with regular use of skills, maintenance and generalization of learned skills occurs with at least some individuals who are profoundly mentally retarded and blind.

Teaching/Coaching

Implications

Special physical educators need numerous motivational techniques at their disposal to eliminate or reduce noncompliant behaviors exhibited by some of their students. Before punishers are used when a noncompliant behavior is demonstrated, differential reinforcement of desirable behavior should be considered. In the present investigation just the use of music had a strong enough influence to not only reduce the noncompliant, but improve motor skills.

Complete Details

Silliman, L.M., French, R., & Tynan, D. (1992). Use of sensory reinforcement to increase compliant behavior of a child who is blind and profoundly mentally retarded. Clinical Kinesiology, 46(3), 3-9.