Improving Beverage Choice in Adults with Developmental Disabilities: Implementation of a Token Reinforcement System in a Community Residential Setting
- Resource Type
- Journal Articles
Reports - Research
- Authors
- May, Brandon K. (ORCID 0000-0001-8445-8841); Britwum, Kwadwo; Nicol, Ginger E.
- Source
- Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Apr 2022 52(4):1523-1535.
- Subject
- Water
Health Behavior
Health Promotion
Developmental Disabilities
Obesity
Adults
Reinforcement
Dietetics
Nutrition Instruction
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 0162-3257
Individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) are twice as likely to have obesity than non-disabled individuals. Replacing the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) with water has many health benefits, including weight reduction. In this study, a token reinforcement system was implemented to increase water consumption and decrease the consumption of SSBs with 14 adult participants with DD living in a community-based independent supported living (ISL) center. Token reinforcement reduced the consumption of SSBs, with associated reductions in calorie consumption and body weight. Findings are especially important for treatment settings where resources for individualized meal planning and staffing to support comprehensive behavioral interventions may be limited.