REDUCING ESCAPE-MAINTAINED SPITTING BEHAVIOR IN A CHILD WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER USING DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT OF INCOMPATIBLE BEHAVIOR: A SINGLE-CASE STUDY

Abstract

Spitting behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents significant social, educational, and hygiene-related challenges that may interfere with therapeutic and instructional activities. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior (DRI) combined with extinction and Functional Communication Training (FCT) in reducing escape-maintained spitting behavior in a child with ASD. A single-case AB design was implemented with a seven-year-old boy receiving Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services in a clinical setting. Functional assessment procedures, including Antecedent–Behavior–Consequence (ABC) recording and the Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF), identified escape from task demands as the primary maintaining variable of the behavior. Baseline data were collected across five sessions, followed by 14 intervention sessions and five post-intervention sessions. The intervention package included bubble blowing as the incompatible behavior, extinction of escape-maintained responding, task modification, and FCT for requesting breaks appropriately. Baseline data demonstrated stable and elevated rates of spitting behavior, averaging 9.6 occurrences per session. Following intervention implementation, an extinction burst was observed, with spitting increasing to 19 instances during early sessions. Continued intervention resulted in a progressive reduction in behavior, reaching zero occurrences during the final intervention session. Post-intervention assessment demonstrated maintenance of treatment gains, with only one instance of spitting recorded across five follow-up sessions. The findings suggest that function-based DRI combined with extinction and FCT may effectively reduce escape-maintained spitting behavior in children with ASD. The study supports the use of reinforcement-based and topography-specific interventions for challenging behaviors in clinical ABA settings.