Premium
An integrated model for guiding the selection of treatment components for problem behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement
Author(s) -
Berg Wendy K.,
Wacker David P.,
Ringdahl Joel E.,
Stricker Jason,
Vinquist Kelly,
Salil Kumar Dutt Anuradha,
Dolezal Danielle,
Luke Jeffrey,
Kemmerer Lisa,
Mews Jayme
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of applied behavior analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1938-3703
pISSN - 0021-8855
DOI - 10.1002/jaba.303
Subject(s) - reinforcement , psychology , differential reinforcement , functional analysis , selection (genetic algorithm) , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , social psychology , artificial intelligence , biochemistry , chemistry , computer science , gene
We evaluated the usefulness of 2 assessments to guide treatment selection for individuals whose prior functional analysis indicated that automatic reinforcement maintained their problem behavior. In the 1st assessment, we compared levels of problem behavior during a noncontingent play condition and an alone or ignore condition. In the 2nd, we assessed participants’ relative preferences for automatic reinforcement and social reinforcers in a concurrent‐operants arrangement. We used the results of these 2 assessments to assign 5 participants to a treatment based on noncontingent access to social reinforcers or to a treatment based on differential access to social reinforcers. We conducted monthly probes with the participants over 10 to 12 months to evaluate the effects of the treatment procedures. All participants showed reductions in problem behavior over this period.