Facial screening: Effects on appropriate and inappropriate behaviors

Facial screening involves covering the subject's face for a number of seconds contingent upon the occurrence of the target behavior. This technique was applied to a disruptive behavior (hand clapping) during a language training class, and its effects on appropriate verbal responses were also examined. The subject was a 7-yr-old schizophrenic boy. Facial screening suppressed hand clapping but had no effect on correct verbal responses. Positive reinforcement increased appropriate verbalizations but had no effect on hand clapping. Follow-up data collected at 6 months indicated that the treatment gains had been maintained.