The use of a verbal reprimand to decrease rumination in a child with autism

After a pre-treatment screening analysis suggested that rumination exhibited by a boy with autism occurred in the absence of social consequences, we evaluated the effect of a verbal reprimand contingent on the target behavior via a reversal design. The reprimand reduced rumination to near-zero levels; we then thinned the reprimand schedule and rumination remained infrequent. Follow-up data collected 6, 12, and 18months after initial treatment suggested that intervention effects were maintained.