Differential Reinforcement

Differential reinforcement consist of two components

(a) providing reinforcement contingent on either the occurrence of a behavior other than the problem behavior or the problem behavior occurring at a reduced rate, and (b) withholding reinforcement as much as possible for the problem behavior

When using DRO, practitioners should do the following

-establish an intial DRO time interval that ensures that the learner's current level of behavior will produce frequent reinforcement when the DRO contingency is applied -be careful not to reinforce inadvertently other inappropriate behaviors -deliver reinforcement at the intervals or moments in time specified by the DRO schedule contingent on the absence of the problem behavior and the absence of inadvertent behaviors -Gradually increase the DRO interval based on decreases in the problem behavior -extend DRO in other settings and times of day after the problem behavior is substantially reduced -combine DRO with other reductive procedures

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> select potent reinforcers that can be delivered when the alternative/incompatible behavior occurs and withheld following instances of the problem behavior. The same consequence that has been maintaining the problem behavior prior to intervention is often the most effective reinforcer for DRI/DRA.

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>maximize the difference between rates of reinforcement for alternative reinforcement/incompatible behavior and the problem behavior by putting the problem behavior on an extinction schedule

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>reinforce the alternative/incompatible behavior on a continuous reinforcement schedule initially and then gradually thin the schedule of reinforcement

When using DRI/DRA, practitioners should do

>select incompatible or alternative behaviors that are present in the learner's repertoire, require equal or less effort than the problem behavior, are being emitted prior to intervention with sufficient frequency to provide opportunities for reinforcement, and are likely to produce reinforcement when the intervention ends.

DRA reinforcement is delivered for a

behavior that serves as a desirable alternative to the target problem behavior and withheld following instances of the problem behavior

Availability of reinforcement with interval and momentary DRO procedures

can occur on fixed- or variable time schedules

Reinforcement on a spaced-responding DRL schedule

follows each occurrence of the target behavior that is separated from the previous response by a minimum inter response time(IRT)

DRI reinforcement is delivered

for a behavior topographically incompatible with the target problem behavior and withheld following an instances of the problem behavior

Use spaced-responding DRL

for reducing the rate of a behavior to be maintained in the learner's repertoire

Reinforcement on a full-sessions DRL schedule

is delivered when responding during an entire instructional or treatment session is equal to or below a criterion limit

DRL schedules produce

low, consistent rates of responding

Differential reinforcement of an incompatible or alternative behavior can be conceptualized as a schedule

of reinforcement in which two concurrent operants- the inappropriate behavior targeted for reduction and appropriate behavior selected-receive reinforcement at different rates

With DRO, reinforcement is contingent

on the absence of the problem behavior during or at specific times(i.e. momentary DRO)

When using DRL,

practitioners should do the following: -not use DRL if a problem behavior needs to be reduced quickly -not use DRL with SIB or other violent behaviors -select the most appropriate behavior DRL Schedule; full-session or interval DRL, spaced responding -use baseline data to guide the selection of initial response or IRT -gradually thin the DRL schedule to achieve the desired rate of responding -provide feedback to help learner monitor the rate of responding

momentary DRO schedule

reinforcement is delivered at specific moments in time if the problem is not occurring at those times.

On an interval DRO schedule,

reinforcement is delivered at the end of specific intervals of time if the problem did not occur during the interval

DRI and DRA have the dual effect of weakening

the problem behavior while at the same time strengthening acceptable behaviors that are either incompatible with or an alternative to the targeted behavior

Use Full session or interval DRL

when it is acceptable that the rate of the problem reaches zero or as an initial step toward the goal of eliminating the behavior