Abstract
We evaluated the effectiveness of a dentist‐implemented intervention in which brief escape from dental treatment was provided to manage disruptive child behavior during restorative dental treatment. Within a multiple baseline design across subjects, 4 children, aged 3 to 7 years, were provided temporary escape from dental treatment contingent upon brief periods of cooperative behavior. Disruptive behavior decreased when the appropriate escape contingency was used at least 80% of the time. The escape contingency required no more time than traditional management procedures (e.g., tell‐show‐do, reprimands and loud commands, restraint) to bring disruptive behavior under control. Independent ratings by two dentists provided social validation of the efficacy of the escape contingency. 1992 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 629-636 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Journal of applied behavior analysis |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1992 |
Keywords
- children
- dentistry
- disruptive behavior
- escape
- negative reinforcement
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Philosophy
- Sociology and Political Science
- Applied Psychology