TY  - JOUR
AU  - Lancioni, Giulio E.
AU  - Alberti, Gloria
AU  - Filippini, Chiara
AU  - Singh, Nirbhay N.
AU  - O'Reilly, Mark F.
AU  - Sigafoos, Jeff
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/06/28
TI  - A Technology-Aided Program to Help People with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities Access Preferred Stimulation and Exercise Motor Responses and Visual Orientation
JO  - OBM Neurobiology
SP  - 228
VL  - 08
IS  - 02
AB  - People with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) are generally isolated, with a high risk of reduced stimulation input and physical inactivity. One of the strategies available to mitigate this situation relies on using technology-aided programs delivering stimulation contingent on people’s basic responses/activation. The two studies reported here were intended to extend the evidence available in this area. Specifically, Study I assessed whether a technology-aided program, which enabled participants to obtain preferred stimulation by touching an illuminated square (response target) changing position on a touch screen, would effectively increase their responding and, consequently, their stimulation input. Study II served as (a) a replication of Study I and (b) a means to assess whether responding in relation to a target changing position would increase the participants’ visual orientation/attention compared to responding in relation to a static target. Seven participants were included, three in Study I and four in Study II. Each study was conducted using a single-case research methodology. The results of both studies showed that the participants increased their responding and, thus, their stimulation input using the technology-aided programs. The program involving a response target changing position required differentiation of the response schemes (probably increasing the level of physical activation) and also tended to improve visual orientation, compared to the program using a fixed response target. Thus, the program involving a changing position of the response target may be considered a preferable tool for helping people with PIMD.
SN  - 2573-4407
UR  - https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2402228
DO  - 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2402228
ID  - Lancioni2024
ER  -