Evaluating behavioral techniques in training individuals with severe and profound mental retardation to use functional independent living skills.

Three treatment approaches were evaluated for functional skill acquisition in individuals with severe and profound mental retardation. The control condition comprised the standard treatment protocol: verbal prompting, modeling, and physical guidance. The first condition added the components of staff training, feedback, and edible reinforcement for clients. The second treatment condition supplemented the first by the addition of verbal and edible reinforcement for staff. Subjects included 30 residents from a large developmental center (Pinecrest) in central Louisiana. The control protocol proved to be an ineffective training regimen. Experimental 1 led to statistically significant increase in learning when compared to controls. Experimental 2 led to additional statistically significant improvements beyond those achieved by Experimental 1. Daily documentation was once again shown not to enhance treatment effectiveness. Implications of the findings are discussed.