Quiz 7

Question 1

Extinction

Answer 1

• One of the first procedures that should be considered for treating a problem behavior
• As long as problem behavior is continuing it must be getting reinforced in some way

– Must identify reinforcing consequence & eliminate it

Question 2

What do we collect to Assess Treatment Effects?

Answer 2

• Record the problem behavior before & after the use of extinction to assess decrease in problem behavior
• Need: Behavioral definition, reliable data collection method, baseline assessment of behavior, data collection in all relevant settings after treatment, continued data collection to assess generalization & maintenance
• If data does not show a reduction in problem behavior, you can reassess problem or extinction procedures & make changes

Question 3

How do you Identify the Reinforcer for the Problem Behavior through Functional Assessment?

Answer 3

• Identify the antecedents & consequences of the problem behavior
• Must identify the specific reinforcers for the problem behavior to use extinction
• The reinforcing consequence may involve the behavior of another person (social reinforcer) or a change in a physical (nonsocial) stimulus or environmental event (automatic reinforcer)

Question 4

Eliminate the Reinforcer after Each Instance of the Problem Behavior

Answer 4

• Failure to eliminate the particular stimulus or events that function as the reinforcers for problem behavior is a failure to implement extinction
• Need to determine if the reinforcer can be eliminated – can the change agent (parent, teacher, client, etc.) control the reinforcer

Question 5

Is Extinction Safe?

Answer 5

• Determine if extinction could result in the farm of the individual or those around them
• Do not use extinction unless you know it is safe to eliminate the reinforcer
• Do not use extinction if providing physical intervention (to address escape/avoidance behavior) would be unsafe
• Do not use extinction if the extinction burst cannot be tolerated
• If extinction is implemented correctly the reinforcer should never follow the problem behavior (consistency is key)

– Change agents must be trained to use extinction (instructions, modeling, feedback)

– Consider the reinforcing the change agents behavior of using extinction correctly

Question 6

When do we Take into Account the Schedule of Reinforcement before Extinction

Answer 6

• Continuously reinforced behavior will decrease more rapidly, when the behavior is intermittently reinforced the behavior decreases gradually

Question 7

Reinforcing Alternative Behaviors

Answer 7

• Extinction should always be used in conjunction with reinforcement procedures
• Reinforcement increases a replacement behavior
• Alternative behavior must serve the same function as the problem behavior

Question 8

Promoting Generalization & Maintenance

Answer 8

Generalization- problem behavior will stop taking place in all relevant circumstances

Maintenance- behavior change will last over time

Question 9

Differential Reinforcement [placholder]

Answer 9

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Question 10

Reinforcing one response class

Answer 10

• When dealing with reducing problem behavior, this involves

– Reinforcing a behavior other than problem behavior behavior

– Reinforcing a reduced rate of problem behavior

• Withholding reinforcement for another

Question 11

Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior (DRI)

Answer 11

• Reinforce a behavior that cannot occur in tandem with a problem behavior
• Withhold reinforcement for instances of problem behavior

Question 12

Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA)

Answer 12

• Reinforce occurrences of desirable alternative to problem behavior but that is not necessarily incompatible
• Reinforcement is withheld for problem behavior

Question 13

Sometimes when reinforcer is a negative reinforcer

Answer 13

DNRI - Differential negative reinforcement of incompatible behavior

DNRA- Differential negative reinforcement of alternative behavior

Question 14

Guidelines for implementing behavior [placeholder]

Answer 14

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Question 15

When to select incompatible/alternative behavior

Answer 15

• Already exists in repertoire
• Requires equal or less effort than problem behavior
• Emitted at a rate that provides sufficient opportunities for reinforcement
• Likely to be reinforced in natural environment

Question 16

After what assessments do we select reinforcers that can be controlled?

Answer 16

• Identify via stimulus preference assessment
• Identify via functional behavior assessment

– Use same consequence as is maintaining problem behavior for appropriate/incompatible behavior

Question 17

Guidelines for implementing DRI/DRA

Answer 17

• Reinforce incompatible/alternative behavior immediately and consistently
• Withhold reinforcement for problem behavior

– Some “mistakes” may be tolerable

Combine with other procedures

Question 18

DRO

Answer 18

Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior

– Deliver reinforcer whenever the problem behavior has not occurred for a specific time

– “Reinforcement for not responding”

Question 19

Fixed-Interval DRO (FI-DRO)

Answer 19

• the reinforcer is given at the end of successive time intervals of equal duration
• To apply

– Establish interval

– Deliver reinforcement at end of interval if problem behavior didn’t occur during the interval

• If problem behavior occurs, reset interval

Question 20

Forms of DRO [placeholder]

Answer 20

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Question 21

Variable-interval DRO (VI-DRO)

Answer 21

• Omission requirement is applied at the end of successive time intervals of variable and unpredictable durations

– To apply:

— Establish variable interval schedule

— Deliver reinforcement at end of interval if problem behavior didn’t occur during the interval

— If problem behavior occurs, reset interval

Question 22

Fixed-momentary DRO (FM-DRO) and Variable-momentary DRO

Answer 22

Omission requirement is applied only at the end of successive time intervals of fixed or variable durations (contingency not in place during interval)

• To apply:

– Establish interval

– Deliver reinforcement at end of interval if problem behavior didn’t occur at the end of the interval

Question 23

What Type of DRO To Use?

Answer 23

• Interval more widely used that momentary
• Interval more effective for suppressing problem behavior
• Momentary may be most useful for maintaining reduced levels of problem behavior

Question 24

Recognize limitations of Variable/Momentary DRO

Answer 24

• Reinforcement provided if absence of target problem behavior

– If another, nontargeted problem behavior occurs, it is reinforced

— May need to shorten interval

— May need to include other problem behaviors in definition

• With Momentary DROs, reinforcement is delivered if problem is not occurring at end of interval, even if it occurred throughout the majority of the interval

– Change to interval DRO

– Shorten interval

Question 25

Set initial DRO intervals that assure frequent reinforcement

Answer 25

- Calculate the mean baseline interresponse time (IRT) - Set interval that is equal to or slightly less than mean IRT

Question 26

Do not inadvertently reinforce other undesirable behaviors

Answer 26

Make rule: must have absence of target problem behavior and other inappropriate behaviors

Question 27

How and when do you gradually increase the DRO interval?

Answer 27

Three options: - Increase by constant duration of time - Increase intervals proportionately - Increase based on learner's performance Extend to other settings and times of day Combine with other procedures

Question 28

Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates of Responding (DRL)

Answer 28

- Use to decrease the frequency of the occurrence of a behavior, but not eliminate it all together

Question 29

What does a Full-session DRL look like?

Answer 29

- Reinforcement is delivered at the end of a session if during the entire session, the target behavior occurred equal to or fewer times thana predetermined criterion

Question 30

Interval DRL

Answer 30

- Divide the total session into a series of equal intervals of time - Provide reinforcement at the end of each interval in which the number of occurrences of target behavior is equal to or below predetermined criterion

Question 31

Spaced- responding DRL

Answer 31

- Deliver reinforcer following an occurrence of a behavior that is separated by at least a minimum amount of time from a previous behavior - In other words, reinforcement in contingent on increasingly longer IRTs (inter-response time)

Question 32

Guidelines of using DRL [placeholder]

Answer 32

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Question 33

Recognize limitations for DRL

Answer 33

- DRL is slow and does nor reduce a behavior quickly

Question 34

When and how to choose the most appropriate DRL procedure

Answer 34

- Spaced responding is the only DRL procedure that delivers reinforcement immediately following response and maintains lower rates - Use full-session and interval DRO when it is okay to have either no or low rates of target behavior - Spaced responding provides higher rates of reinforcement

Question 35

Use baseline data to guide selection of intial response or IRT limits

Answer 35

- Set at baseline or slightly lower

Question 36

Hierarchy of DRL/Gradually thinning the DRL schedule

Answer 36

- Full-session DRL: set new criterion based on learner's current performance - Interval DRL: gradually decrease number of responses per interval - Spaced-responding: adjust IRT criterion based on performance

Question 37

Provide informational feedback to the learner

Answer 37

Enhance effectiveness by helping learner monitor performance

Question 38

Identification of Reinforcers [placeholder]

Answer 38

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Question 39

How to identify an appropriate reinforcer?

Answer 39

- Observe the person - Ask the client, parents, or teachers - Use reinforcer questionnaires - Present potential reinforcers continent on an operant response & measure response rate or duration - Preference assessment: -- Single stimulus assessment -- Paired stimulus assessment -- Multiple stimulus assessment (variation: multiple stimulus without replacement)

Question 40

Single stimulus assessments

Answer 40

Allow you to hypothesize whether a child likes or dislikes items, as well as hypothesize a child's preference hierarchy from a select group of items - Use when child does not make consistent choices based on preference - Use if child engages in challenging behavior when fav toys are taken because child can play with toy as long as they desire

Question 41

Paired stimulus assessments

Answer 41

Allow you to determine a child's preference hierarchy form a select group of items - More time-consuming that MSWOs and MSWs, they are appropriate for children who do not consistently scan a large array and make a choice based on preference - Typically, preference assessments with toys and with edibles are conducted separately

Question 42

Multiple Stimulus Assessment (MSW & MSWOs)

Answer 42

Allow you to determine a child's preference hierarchy from a select group of items - Most appropriate for children consistently scan a large array of items and make a consistent choice based on relative preference - Do not use if child is likely to engage in problem behavior when toys are removed - Typically, preference assessments with toys and with edibles are conducted seperately