The Use of Response Prevention to Eliminate Daytime Thumbsucking

The effects of a response prevention strategy consisting of the fading of restraint and the removal of reniforcers contingent on daytime thumbsucking was evaluated with three boys using a multiple baseline plus reversal design. Following a baseline condition thumbsucking was restrained by absorbent cotton taped over the thumb and the children lost access to an agreed upon reinforcer and T.V. time contigent upon thumbsucking. Thumbsucking increased when this condition was abruptly removed for two children. The reintroduction of the absorbant cotton restraint plus contingencies procedure and a no restraint procedure plus contigencies conditon was associated with the complete suppression of thumbsucking which remained suppressed during the follow-up condition for all three children.