Files
Abstract
Instead of simply observing an interventions effect over time (i.e., maintenance), Nevin and Wacker (2013) emphasized systematic methods to program and assess treatment durability. Specifically, the authors suggested evaluating response persistence after deliberately presenting treatment challenges (e.g., extinction, satiation, low procedural fidelity levels). Following treatment challenges, researchers and practitioners can evaluate response persistence through the framework of behavioral momentum theory (BMT), which quantifies a responses resistance to change. For example, when comparing two conditions (A and B), if condition A resulted in greater proportional resistance to change when challenged, condition A might be more likely to maintain over time. Although various studies evaluate the effect of different contextual variables on response persistence, few studies evaluate the effect of verbal stimuli. Therefore, this study examined the effect of instructions compared to no-instructions on response persistence. This study included four kindergarten students receiving special education services. Following preference, reinforcer, and proficiency assessments, the researcher implemented a within-subject design to systematically assess response persistence when challenged by a distractor (i.e., preferred video clips). Results indicated inconsistent total response patterns (correct and incorrect responses) in both the instruction and no-instruction conditions, across participants. However, three out of four participants exhibited greater persistence of errors in the no-instruction condition, and all four participants displayed greater proportional error percentages in the no-instruction condition. This research expands the literature evaluating various components affecting response persistence and provides implications for future evaluations as well as considerations for applied settings.