Functional analysis and treatment of the bizarre speech of dually diagnosed adults

J Appl Behav Anal. 2004 Fall;37(3):395-9. doi: 10.1901/jaba.2004.37-395.

Abstract

Nine behavior-analytic studies, each reporting data for a single participant, have shown that bizarre speech can be maintained by social reinforcement. In the current study, we controlled for a possible referral bias in this literature by including nonreferred participants with dual diagnoses. Functional analyses identified attention functions for 2 participants and nonsocial functions for the others. Noncontingent reinforcement decreased the bizarre speech of both participants who displayed attention-maintained bizarre speech.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intellectual Disability / complications*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Reinforcement, Psychology
  • Schizophrenia / complications*
  • Speech Disorders* / etiology
  • Speech Disorders* / psychology
  • Speech Disorders* / therapy