Abstract:
Food selectivity is a common feeding problem in children. Behavioural interventions such as positive reinforcement and simultaneous presentation are often used to treat food selectivity. Both of these interventions have been used in multi component packages with escape extinction and response cost. However, they have not been used together to treat food selectivity. The current study used an alternating treatments design to compare positive reinforcement, simultaneous presentation and both of them together. Using an antecedent intervention (simultaneous presentation) and a consequence intervention (positive reinforcement)was examined to establish effectiveness of the combination of the two for the treatment of food selectivity. Results demonstrated, that positive reinforcement and simultaneous presentation together were more effective at increasing consumption of new foods compared to positive reinforcement and simultaneous presentation for two out of the three participants. For one of the participants, positive reinforcement and positive reinforcement and simultaneous presentation together, resulted in similar outcomes. The findings of the current study warrant further consideration of a combined intervention package (antecedent and consequence interventions) and demonstrate the effectiveness of this intervention package as a treatment of food selectivity.
