SELF‐CONTROL IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM: RESPONSE ALLOCATION DURING DELAYS TO REINFORCEMENT
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This study examined the use of a progressive‐delay schedule of reinforcement to increase self‐control and decrease disruptive behavior in children with autism. When initially given the choice between an immediate smaller reinforcer and a larger delayed reinforcer, all participants chose the smaller reinforcer. When access to the larger reinforcer required either no activity or engaging in a concurrent task during the delay, all participants demonstrated both self‐control and preference for a response requirement. Disruptive behavior decreased during delays that required a concurrent task compared to sessions without an activity requirement.
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Delay fading has been systematically replicated in children diagnosed with autism or other intellectual or developmental disabilities.
“with several systematic replications in children diagnosed with autism or other intellectual or developmental disabilities (Dixon et al., 1998; Dixon & Cummings, 2001; Gokey, Wilder, Welch, Collier, & Mathisen, 2013; Hanley, Jin, Vanselow, & Hanratty, 2014; Newquist et al., 2012; Passage, Tincani, & Hantula, 2012; Vessells et al., 2018).”
From Changing Delay Discounting and Impulsive Choice: Implications for Addictions, Prevention, and Human Health (2019) · cites this paper as Dixon & Cummings, 2001
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- Authors
- Dixon, M. R., & Cummings, A.
- Affiliations
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale (US)
- Western Michigan University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Dixon, Mark R.
- ORCID
- Dixon, Mark R.
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2001-12
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 491-495
- ISSN
- 0021-8855 (ISSN-L)
- 1938-3703
- PMC
- PMC1284343
- OpenAlex
- W2067865933
- Cited by
- 66
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 4.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Behavioral and Psychological Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Keywords
- self-control, autism spectrum disorder, children, delay discounting, disruptive behavior, response allocation, choice behavior
- MeSH terms
- Autistic Disorder, Behavior Therapy, Child, Child Behavior Disorders, Child, Preschool, Humans, Male, Reinforcement Schedule, Self-Injurious Behavior
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