ABSTRACT
Since the arrival of the novel coronavirus, recommendations for public masking have emerged to decrease infection rates. For a variety of reasons, tolerating wearing a mask is challenging for many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs). Therefore, we evaluated behavioral strategies to promote compliance with wearing a mask with six hospitalized individuals diagnosed with IDDs. One participant was compliant with wearing the mask for extended durations during baseline while engaging in various activities (e.g., academics, leisure). For the other five individuals, engagement in activities alone was ineffective. Blocking mask removal, reinforcement for mask wearing, and noncontingent access to preferred activities or competing stimuli were then evaluated using a changing-criterion design in which the duration participants were required to tolerate the mask gradually increased. Increases in compliance with mask wearing were achieved with all participants; however, the terminal duration was attained for only four of the five individuals. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40617-021-00583-7.
ABSTRACT
Meta-analytic methods provide a way to synthesize data across treatment evaluation studies. However, these well-accepted methods are infrequent with behavior analytic studies. Multilevel models may be a promising method to meta-analyze single-case data. This technical article provides a primer for how to conduct a multilevel model with single-case designs with AB phases using data from the differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate behavior literature. We provide details, recommendations, and considerations for searching for appropriate studies, organizing the data, and conducting the analyses. All data sets are available to allow the reader to follow along with this primer. The purpose of this technical article is to minimally equip behavior analysts to complete a meta-analysis that will summarize a current state of affairs as it relates to the science of behavior analysis and its practice. Moreover, we aim to demonstrate the value of analyses of this sort for behavior analysis.
