| Summary: | This study presented six typically developing children between the ages of five to eight with familiarization (baseline) in a mock scanner after which behavioural intervention ensued, in a non-concurrent multiple baseline design. The behavioural intervention included reinforcement for the contingency of lying motionless, and response cost (the removal of desirable stimuli) as a punishment contingency for movement. During baseline, all children showed a fair amount of head motion in the mock scanner. During intervention, small to large reductions in head motion were observed for five of the six participants. Therefore, use of the mock scanner and the reinforcement/punishment contingencies, may be an aid used prior to actual MRI/fMRI scans for children between the ages of five to eight: it is cost effective, may require only a session or two of intervention to be effective, and the potentially dangerous side effects and/or disabilities of sedation/anaesthesia can be avoided.
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