Satiation

Description of the Strategy

Satiation can be used as a specific behavior reduction strategy, although its applications are fairly limited. When applied as a strategy to reduce behavior, satiation involves providing unlimited access to a reinforcer that has been shown to maintain problematic behavior. Access to the reinforcer must be provided independently of and prior to the occurrence of the problematic behavior. This procedure essentially eliminates any motivation to engage in the problematic behavior, because such behavior is not needed to obtain the reinforcer. Research demonstrations of the effectiveness of satiation as a behavior reduction strategy are quite limited. The most common example involves its use to reduce rumination in people with severe developmental disabilities. Rumination involves regurgitating and then either chewing and reswallowing or expelling vomitus from the mouth. As a technique to reduce this problem behavior, satiation simply involves providing the ruminator with more food and allowing the individual to eat until he or she is full (i.e., satiated). Research on the use of this strategy has reported reductions in rumination ranging from 50% to 90%.

Perhaps the more important aspect of satiation is the role it plays in influencing the effectiveness of other consequence-based interventions. In this regard, satiation is a “setting event” (or “establishing operation”) that alters the interaction between antecedent, behavior, and consequence. Satiation is a condition that influences whether consequences will or will not affect behavior. Put simply, food may be a very powerful reinforcer if one is hungry but not if one is full. An individual may become satiated on any reinforcer, but primary reinforcers are most likely to result in satiation. Whenever contingent reinforcement is used to strengthen a behavior, careful monitoring of the potential effects of satiation is critical.

Relevant Target Populations

The condition of satiation can occur with any individual and with any consequence in any setting. However, as a specific behavior reduction strategy, the uses of satiation are likely to be limited to people with severe developmental disabilities who engage in problematic behaviors that are not a serious threat to them or others.

Complications and Cautions

Satiation affects both reinforcing and aversive (punishing) consequences. The role of satiation when punishment is used can be problematic. Individuals may resort to punishment to reduce behavior because it can result in quick suppression of undesirable behavior. This instant result may tempt users to rely heavily on punishment and neglect positive reinforcement of [Page 1490]desirable behavior. Undesirable behaviors reduced through punishment may return after only a temporary suppression or may be replaced by other undesirable behaviors. When this occurs, the person administering punishment is likely to resort to progressively heavier doses of punishment, thus creating increasingly aversive conditions and also establishing a pattern of increasing punishment each time satiation occurs. If the pattern of increasing the punishment is successful, even temporarily, the person administering the punishment is negatively reinforced for using punishment, thus creating a vicious cycle.

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