Mask Compliance Training for Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Since the arrival of the novel coronavirus, recommendations for public masking have emerged to decrease infection rates. For a variety of reasons, tolerating wearing a mask is challenging for many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs). Therefore, we evaluated behavioral strategies to promote compliance with wearing a mask with six hospitalized individuals diagnosed with IDDs. One participant was compliant with wearing the mask for extended durations during baseline while engaging in various activities (e.g., academics, leisure). For the other five individuals, engagement in activities alone was ineffective. Blocking mask removal, reinforcement for mask wearing, and noncontingent access to preferred activities or competing stimuli were then evaluated using a changing-criterion design in which the duration participants were required to tolerate the mask gradually increased. Increases in compliance with mask wearing were achieved with all participants; however, the terminal duration was attained for only four of the five individuals.