Behavioral Effects of Reducing the Daily Frequency of Phenothiazine Administration.

After an 11-day base line of behavioral observations, 24 chronic female schizophrenics were assigned to two groups matched for alertness. In the first treatment phase, the administration of phenothiazine medication of one group was switched from a multiple-dose schedule (three to four times per day) to a single daily administration, while the total dosage per day was held constant. The second group continued on a multiple administration schedule for 11 days and then was switched to a single daily dosage. A multivariate analysis of variance showed that there was no overall effect (positive or negative) due to the schedule change; however, preplanned t tests showed transitory decreases in nonfunctional behavior. The results are discussed in terms of implications for the administration of phenothiazines and the experimental analysis of drug effects.

Conditioning and post-hospital generalization of nondelusional responses in a chronic psychotic patient.

An operant conditioning approach was successful in getting a chronic psychotic patient to give factual answers to direct questions that had previously elicited only delusional responses. Multiple baseline and reversal controls established that the changes were due to the experimental procedure. The subject was a female patient classified as paranoid schizophrenic who had persisted in giving bizarre responses to direct questions regarding her identity, age, and personal history during 26 yr of hospitalization. She was discharged after factual answers to these questions had been obtained, but operant conditioning trials were continued in the community to promote generalization. Two follow-up interviews were conducted 36 and 52 days after discharge to evaluate generalization. No generalization was found in the first interview, but the second gave evidence of some generalization.

Increasing speech intensity of chronic patients ("mumblers") bu shaping techniques.

The present experiment sought to increase the volume of speech in three adult male institutionalized patients. The method consisted of shaping modeled responses. Reinforcement was contingent upon the vocalization surpassing the threshold on an electronic volume indicator, which could be set at various levels of sensitivity. Results indicated that the volume of speech was increased in all three cases, as a function of manipulation of reinforcement contingencies. Follow-up data indicated that the long term maintenance of the acquired behavior was dependent on the ward environment.