Training autistic children to urinate in the toilet through operant conditioning techniques.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of operant conditioning techniques to toilet train children in an autism ward of a hospital for developmentally disturbed children. Five profoundly retarded males with clear clinical manifestations of autism were selected as subjects. Records of the urination behavior of these subjects were kept during a baseline period and throughout the application of procedures. Appropriate urination behavior was immediately followed by positive reinforcers, such as candy, verbal praise, and physical affection. Inappropriate urination behavior was immediately followed by negative reinforces, verbal as well as physical. The results of this study show that operant conditioning techniques can be used to change the urination behavior of profoundly retarded autistic children even where other methods have failed. Factors requiring further investigation for their possible impact on the effectiveness of these procedures in toilet training autistic children are also discussed.