Increasing Duration of Time of Holding Objects (Acquisition level)

Target behavior(s): Holding objects

Strategy: Positive reinforcement for holding objects, gradually increase duration of holding time

Rationale: Functional task, prerequisite to many skills

Training setting/planning: May be done in classroom, residence, or both as determined by the teacher. (Teacher may want to run training in the classroom before importing it to the residence.) Should be done in comfortable location relatively free of distraction and at time of shift when student is most alert. Training should be done at least once daily and may be done during both shifts. Be sure that lighting is adequate. Set the maximum length of activity in advance—this can be changed depending of response of student to training. Also decide in advance if the student should pick up a specific item or select something and if the student should be presented with an object, select one from an array on the table, or take one from a basket. Also identify the behavior that the student will use when finished holding (e.g., drop, put in basket, set on table).

Materials: Collect 10-20 objects that can be grasped and held comfortably in one hand. Obtain a variety of objects with different textures, shapes, weights, functions, and composition to insure varied sensory input. Include objects that make noise or provide light. For convenience, store objects together and reserve use for training. Keep adding to the collection. Use stopwatch (or count “one second, two seconds, three seconds…” to self). You may get stopwatch from the Behavior Specialist. You will need towels and a base for the juice to avoid spilling.

Reinforcers: Praise, attention, and edibles-- watered-down juice or other beverage. Use straw with container so that the amount sipped each time can be easily controlled. Pinch and remove straw after 1-2 seconds of sucking.

Pretraining: Provide the student with 5 different objects. Assist or instruct to grasp. Record how long the student holds each one before dropping. Do this at least three different days. Identify the duration that the student holds each object. Use praise and attention as reinforcers while the student is holding an object. Discard any object that the student appears to find aversive.

Training:

1. Have materials in place. Take the student to the training area and make sure he is comfortable. Spend a few minutes before beginning instruction talking with the student, rubbing back, massaging hands, etc.--something that you know that the student likes.

2. Select initial criterion based on pretraining activities. If student released object immediately, set the criterion at 3 seconds. If the average of the lowest three scores was greater than 3 seconds, use that as the criterion.

3. Present a selection of 5 or more objects. Objects must be varied.

4. Direct or assist the student to pick up or find an object (toy). Instruct the student to hold the object by saying like “hold.” If student release the object before the criterion, repeat the instructions and use hand-over-hand as needed to assist the student to maintain grasp. Continue to say “hold” and praise the student throughout the duration for good holding. When the criterion has been met, present the reinforcer and then immediately say something like “let go,” or “put down.” Assist the student as necessary and provide brief social or sensory reinforcers (e.g., pat on back, brief hand rub) but not edibles. You may need to assist the student to maintain grasp on object during the brief time between presenting the reinforcer and permitting the student to release the object. Remember, the reinforcer comes before the student discard the object. Otherwise you will be reinforcing discarding behavior.

1. Gradually fade hand-over-hand assistance until the student holds the object on own for the minimum criterion. Increase criterion by 2 seconds and change objects. Repeat as above until the student holds the object without assistance for 5 seconds.

2. Continue as above, increasing the criterion by 2 or 3 seconds. It is a bit easier to keep track of criteria if you alternate adding 2 and then 3 seconds so that you always end up on a number divisible by 5 (e.g., 3-5-7-10-12-15…).

3. End session before student becomes restless and provide student with the rest of the juice and/or a highly preferred activity.

4. Keep track of the duration criterion. For the next session, start with the duration criterion that the student was working on or just met. It may be necessary to drop back one or two criteria after an absence from training or if the student seems to find it difficult to start where he left off. It is better to start low and have the task easier for the student than to try to move quickly.