Vocal Stereotypies and Autism Spectrum Disorder
Desiree Bongiovanni, Luca Vascelli
Vocal stereotypies are described as the repetition of sounds, words, phrases, or the use of non-functional or non-contextualized language, and they are usually maintained through automatic reinforcement. They are frequently present in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and can interfere with acquiring information and adaptive behaviours, and be socially stigmatizing. Scientific literature reports the effectiveness of an intervention strategy called response interruption and redirection (RIRD) for reducing stereotypies maintained by automatic reinforcement. This study implemented the motor response interruption and redirection (MRIRD) procedure in a home setting to reduce vocal stereotypies and increase appropriate vocalizations in an eight-year-old child with ASD. The results indicate a longer duration of vocal stereotypies during baseline phases compared to intervention phases and the presence of appropriate vocalizations exclusively during the phases where the MRIRD procedure was implemented. The total duration of intervention sessions and the number of implementations within each of the three phases where MRIRD was used progressively decreased. The social validity of MRIRD was also assessed, and the result was slightly above the average scores attainable. Overall, the results suggest the effectiveness of MRIRD in reducing vocal stereotypies and increasing appropriate vocalizations even in a natural setting such as the home environment.
Keywords
Vocal stereotypies, Autism, School age.
