Behavioral attempts to eliminate air-swallowing in two profoundly mentally retarded clients.

Attempts were made to eliminate the aerophagia (pathological air-swallowing) exhibited by two profoundly retarded clients in a state residential institution. In Experiment 1, a positive-practice overcorrection procedure (coactive mouth-covering) tripled the frequency of a female's air-swallowing and subsequent time-out failed to reduce it below free-operant levels. In Experiment 2, further unsuccessful attempts were made to reduce air-swallowing by the same subject using additional time-out procedures. For a second subject (Experiment 3), increased durations of positive-practice overcorrection produced corresponding reductions in air-swallowing. After physical opposition to treatment, overcorrection was withdrawn, resulting in near-baseline responding. Multiple baselines in each experiment showed no transfer effect. Findings were discussed with reference to investigators who reported negative side-effects of overcorrection and overcame them through continued experimental analysis.