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| An Examination of Response Generalization and an Antecedent Manipulation on the Consumption of New Food Items with Children Exhibiting Food Selectivity |
| Sunday, May 28, 2006 |
| 10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
| Greenbriar |
| Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: Merrill J. Berkowitz (St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center) |
| Discussant: Mary Louise E. Kerwin (Rowan University) |
| Abstract: Food selectivity is a common problem encountered in the field of pediatrics (Archer, Rosenbaum, & Streiner, 1991). Several treatment procedures have been developed to increase the acceptance and consumption of a wider variety of foods in children exhibiting food selectivity (e.g., Ahearn 2002, Hoch et al., 1994). Most of these studies have examined consequence-based procedures, such as positive reinforcement and escape extinction (e.g., Ahearn et al., 1995; Hoch et al., 1994). Few studies have specifically examined antecedent based procedures and the effects that exposure has on the consumption of new food items. The following three studies examine some of those factors that influence the consumption of new food items during the treatment of food selectivity. The first study evaluates the carry-over effects of treatment on untreated food items during the acquisition of consumption for targeted food items. The second study examines the effects of treatment on response generalization across acquisition and repeated exposure of target foods. The third study examines the rate of acquisition of consumption of new foods when they are presented throughout the meal (interspersed) or consecutively. Interobserver agreement was obtained throughout each of these studies across all conditions. |
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| Examining the Carry-Over Effects of Positive Reinforcement and Escape Extinction in the Treatment of Pediatric Feeding Disorders. |
| ANNMARIE MARANDO (St. Joseph's Children's Hospital), Jaymie Barette (St. Joseph's Children's Hospital), Merrill J. Berkowitz (St. Joseph's Children's Hospital), Peggy S. Eicher (St. Joseph's Children's Hospital) |
| Abstract: Food selectivity is a common problem encountered in the fields of pediatrics and pediatric feeding disorders (e.g., Archer, Rosenbaum, & Streiner, 1991). Several treatment procedures, including positive reinforcement and escape extinction, have been found to be effective in increasing the consumption of new foods in children exhibiting food selectivity (e.g., Ahearn, 2002; Hoch et al., 1994). Most of these studies utilized a withdrawal design to demonstrate functional control of the procedures and the results suggest that without such procedures, consumption returns to baseline levels. The current study extends previous work by examining the possible carry-over effects of positive reinforcement and escape extinction procedures on the consumption of untreated target foods. Two children admitted to an intensive day treatment program for food selectivity participated in the study. They were presented with three groups of food each containing three target foods. Treatment procedures were systematically introduced and withdrawn within a multiple baseline across food groups design. Results of the evaluation and implications for treatment will be discussed. |
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| Examining the Effects of Treatment for Pediatric Food Selectivity on Response Generalization. |
| JULIA LUEDEMANN (St. Joseph's Children's Hospital), Merrill J. Berkowitz (St. Joseph's Children's Hospital), Kristen Paladino (St. Joseph's Children's Hospital), Peggy S. Eicher (St. Joseph's Children's Hospital) |
| Abstract: In the area of applied behavior analysis response generalization exists when reinforced behaviors increase the occurrence of other similar but responses (Skinner, 1953). Food selectivity is one of the many different eating patterns exhibited by children with pediatric feeding disorders exhibit (Babbitt, Hoch, & Coe, 1994). Several treatment procedures, including positive reinforcement and escape extinction, have been found to be effective in increasing the consumption of new foods in children exhibiting food selectivity (e.g., Ahearn et al., 1996; Hoch et al., 1994). In examining the rates of acquisition between presenting a single food item versus multiple food items in children exhibiting food selectivity, Ahearn (2002) found that acceptance of untreated foods occurred more often when children were exposed to multiple foods. The current study extends the work of examines the effects of treatment on response generalization in two children exhibiting food selectivity admitted to an intensive day treatment program for the treatment of food selectivity. Treatment procedures were systematically introduced for increasing numbers of target foods. The consumption of 4 foods was assessed during generalization probes conducted daily throughout the admission. Results of the evaluation and implications for treatment are discussed. |
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| An Examination of Two Methods for Introducing New Foods in the Treatment of Food Selectivity. |
| MERRILL J. BERKOWITZ (St. Joseph's Children's Hospital), Paula Tokar (St. Joseph's Children's Hospital), Lacie Edelstein (St. Joseph's Children's Hospital), Peggy S. Eicher (St. Joseph's Children's Hospital) |
| Abstract: Research has examined the rate of acquisition of unknown items when varying ratios of known to unknown items are presented. This research has indicated that as higher percentages of unknown items are presented, acquisition of these items will occur at higher rates (Roberts and Shapiro, 1996). One of the common difficulties reported by parents in the areas of pediatrics and pediatric feeding disorders is food selectivity (e.g., Archer, Rosenbaum, & Streiner, 1991). One study examined the effects of exposing children exhibiting food selectivity to either one or multiple foods at a time (Ahearn, 2002). Results suggested that acquisition of acceptance was faster when only one food item was presented. The current study extends that of Ahearn by examining the acquisition of consumption of new food items when presented consecutively (i.e., 100% new) as compared to interspersed (i.e., 50% new) to children exhibiting food selectivity. Two children admitted to an intensive day treatment program for the assessment and treatment of food selectivity participated in the current study. A multielement design embedded within a multiple baseline design was utilized to examine the differences in acquisition of consumption between the two conditions. Results of the evaluations, as well as implications for treatment are discussed. |
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