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CONCURRENT REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULES: BEHAVIOR CHANGE AND MAINTENANCE WITHOUT EXTINCTION
Author(s) -
Hoch Hannah,
McComas Jennifer J.,
Thompson Andrea L.,
Paone Debra
Publication year - 2002
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 - 10.1901/jaba.2002.35-155
Subject(s) - reinforcement , extinction (optical mineralogy) , task (project management) , psychology , schedule , behavior change , autism , developmental psychology , social psychology , computer science , paleontology , management , economics , biology , operating system
We evaluated the effects of concurrent schedules of reinforcement on negatively reinforced problem behavior and task completion with 3 children with autism. Results indicated that problem behavior occurred at high levels and relatively few tasks were completed when problem behavior produced a break (from tasks) and task completion produced either no consequence or a break. By contrast, problem behavior was eliminated and tasks were completed when problem behavior produced a break and task completion produced a break with access to preferred activities. Treatment gains were maintained without the use of extinction when the response requirement was increased and the schedule of reinforcement was thinned.