Behavioral treatment of drooling: a methodological critique of the literature with clinical guidelines and suggestions for future research.

摘要: Many children with mental retardation and developmental disabilities suffer from the consequences of chronic drooling. Behavioral treatment for drooling should be considered before other, more intrusive treatments such as medication surgery are implemented. However, empirical studies on behavioral procedures scarce. This article reviews 19 published since 1970. Treatment (a) instruction, prompting, positive reinforcement; (b) negative social reinforcement declarative procedures; (c) cueing techniques; (d) self-management procedures. Although these yield results, critical examination experimental methodology reveals several methodological shortcomings. Guidelines clinical use presented, recommendations given future research in this area.