Behavior Management Procedures Part 2

Abstract

Norman and Broman (1970) used a volume meter on a tape recorder to induce a child to speak, and to increase speech volume. In their intervention, speaking was reinforced only when it was loud enough to move the meter’s needle into the red (loud) zone. Nolan and Pence (1970) consulted with a parent of an electively mute child and instructed the parent to gradually raise the volume of the car radio, thereby forcing the child to vocalize louder in order to be heard. Increasing the audibility of speech was also a major focus in the recent intervention reported by Brown and Doll (1988).