1
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Lambert JM, Osina MA, Copeland BA. Reinforcer value moderates response magnitude and persistence during extinction: A randomized trial. J Appl Behav Anal 2024. [PMID: 38825878 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.1088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Extinction bursts, or temporary increases in rates and intensities of behavior during extinction, can preclude the inclusion of extinction in intervention packages meant to suppress severe challenging behavior. To identify underlying behavioral mechanisms responsible for response persistence and bursting, 69 adults with developmental disabilities completed a low-stakes translational investigation employing a 2 × 2 factorial, crossed, and randomized matched blocks design, with batched randomization logic. In each of the four test groups, we made distinct antecedent manipulations with two value parameters commonly studied through behavioral economics (i.e., demand intensity, Pmax) and evaluated the extent to which each of these manipulations influenced target responding during extinction. Although we found statistically significant differences attributable to both parameters, variations in reinforcer consumption relative to demand intensity were most influential across all dependent variables. This outcome implicates consumption relative to demand intensity as both a mitigating and exacerbating preextinction factor that influences the prevalence of adverse collateral extinction effects (e.g., bursts).
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Lambert
- Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Maria A Osina
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Bailey A Copeland
- Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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2
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Laureano B, Ringdahl J, Falligant JM. Examination of clinical variables affecting resurgence: A reanalysis of 46 applications. J Appl Behav Anal 2024. [PMID: 38808478 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.1091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Despite the efficacy of behavioral interventions, resurgence of challenging behavior (e.g., aggression, self-injury) following successful treatment can still occur. Applied work has focused on identifying treatment-related variables thought to affect the occurrence and magnitude of resurgence. The current study describes the relation between several variables (i.e., phase duration, response rates in baseline and treatment, obtained rates of reinforcement, downshift in reinforcement step size) and resurgence in a retrospective consecutive controlled case series of 46 treatment applications for challenging behavior conducted in an inpatient setting. Only the downshift in reinforcement (e.g., schedule-thinning) step size was correlated with the magnitude of resurgence. These results are consistent with recent findings suggesting that treatment duration and other factors have inconsistent effects on resurgence of challenging behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Laureano
- Department of Behavioral Psychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joel Ringdahl
- Center for Autism and Behavioral Education Research, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - John M Falligant
- Department of Behavioral Psychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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3
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Moore TR, Lee S, Freeman R, Mahmoundi M, Dimian A, Riegelman A, Simacek JJ. A Meta-Analysis of Treatment for Self-Injurious Behavior in Children and Adolescents With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Behav Modif 2024; 48:216-256. [PMID: 38197303 DOI: 10.1177/01454455231218742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Self-injurious behavior (SIB) among children and youth with developmental disabilities has not diminished in prevalence despite the availability of effective interventions, and the impact on quality of life for people and their families is devastating. The current meta-analysis reviews SIB intervention research between 2011 and 2021 using single-case experimental designs with children and youth up to 21 years old and provides a quantitative synthesis of data from high-quality studies including moderator analyses to determine effects of participant and study characteristics on intervention outcomes. Encouraging findings include a high level of effectiveness across studies in the decrease of SIB (Tau-U = -0.90) and increase of positive behavior (Tau-U = 0.73), as well as an increase in studies (relative to prior reviews) reporting intervention fidelity, generalization, maintenance, and social validity. However, our findings shed limited light on potential moderating variables in the development of interventions for children and youth who exhibit SIB. Of the potential moderators of intervention effects, only implementer (researcher/therapist vs. parent/caregiver) and setting (clinic vs. home) were significantly associated with improved outcomes. We discuss the need for more robust involvement of natural communities of implementers in SIB intervention research to better equip them to effectively and sustainably meet the needs of people they care for. We also discuss the importance of creating systems enabling broad access for children with SIB to effective interventions in service of reducing burden for people, families, and society over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy R Moore
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Seunghee Lee
- Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Rachel Freeman
- Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Maryam Mahmoundi
- Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Adele Dimian
- Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Amy Riegelman
- Social Sciences Libraries, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Jessica J Simacek
- Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
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4
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Kranak MP, Brown KR. Updated Recommendations for Reinforcement Schedule Thinning following Functional Communication Training. Behav Anal Pract 2024; 17:87-106. [PMID: 38405284 PMCID: PMC10891008 DOI: 10.1007/s40617-023-00863-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Schedule thinning is a necessary treatment procedure following the acquisition of a communication response during functional communication training. In this article, we update and extend the Hagopian et al. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 4, 4-16, (2011) review and recommendations on schedule-thinning procedures following functional communication training. Since their publication, substantial research has been published on the efficacy, efficiency, and social validity of schedule-thinning methods. We provide updated recommendations for schedule thinning based on contemporary literature that has been published since 2011, as well as discuss key areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P. Kranak
- Oakland University, Rochester, MI USA
- Oakland University Center for Autism, Rochester, MI USA
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5
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Smith SW, Greer BD. Translational evaluation of on/off alternative reinforcement cycling. J Exp Anal Behav 2023; 120:429-439. [PMID: 37680018 PMCID: PMC10840708 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Cycling between the availability and unavailability of reinforcement for alternative responding has successfully reduced resurgence in basic laboratory evaluations, but this approach represents a marked departure from current standards of care when treating problem behavior, warranting careful translation before its use clinically. Therefore, with extinction arranged for target responding across groups in Phase 2, we evaluated the effects of cycling between the availability and unavailability of differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) using a computer-based task with adult humans recruited through Amazon MTurk. Two control groups experienced constant DRA in Phase 2, with one group experiencing a dense DRA schedule and another group experiencing a lean DRA schedule. The cycling DRA group tended to show greater reductions in target responding and improved discrimination in Phase 2 and less target responding across Phases 2 and 3 than the lean DRA and dense DRA groups. These preliminary findings suggest that on/off DRA cycling procedures may produce more desirable treatment outcomes than constant DRA without producing negative side effects; however, further research is needed to confirm these possibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean W. Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
| | - Brian D. Greer
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- Children’s Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH–RUCARES)
- Rutgers Brain Health Institute
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6
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Craig AR. Resistance to change, of behavior and of theory. J Exp Anal Behav 2023; 120:440-456. [PMID: 37526100 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
The persistence of operant behavior when disrupted tends to be positively related to how often reinforcers were delivered in the past. Behavioral momentum theory describes this finding as the outcome of Pavlovian processes. That is, the relation between discriminative stimuli and reinforcers that were delivered in their presence strengthens behavior, thereby making it more likely to persist. If only the story were that simple. A growing number of findings challenge the basic tenets of behavioral momentum theory. Some even call into question whether Pavlovian relations contribute to persistence in the first place. In this paper, I will review behavioral momentum theory and some of the data that have been problematic for the theory. I will argue that despite these very real challenges, the theory provides important utility not only to basic analyses of response persistence but also to clinical interventions directed at long-term reductions in problem behavior. It, for example, has set the stage for the development of alternative conceptual analyses of resistance to change, two of which will be highlighted for readers. Moreover, behavioral momentum theory may tell us something important about the reasons it continues to have an influence on the field, despite the challenging data that deter it.
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7
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Nist AN, Shahan TA. Examining resurgence in rats following expanded-operant treatments. J Exp Anal Behav 2023; 120:186-203. [PMID: 37337718 PMCID: PMC10721342 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Resurgence of previously reinforced behavior represents a challenge to otherwise successful interventions based on differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA). Expanded-operant treatments seek to increase the number of functional alternative behaviors through DRA, thereby potentially mitigating resurgence. However, the few studies that have directly examined these methods as a tool for resurgence mitigation have provided limited and unclear results. Thus, the present experiments were designed to investigate the effect of expanded-operant DRA methods on resurgence of previously reinforced behavior using rat subjects. In two experiments, following a baseline phase in which a target response was trained, groups of rats experienced concurrent (i.e., five simultaneous alternative responses), serial (i.e., five sequentially available alternative responses), or single DRA interventions arranging similar rates of alternative reinforcement in order to examine potential differences in resurgence. Both experiments showed that neither serial nor concurrent DRA expanded-operant treatments reduced resurgence compared with single DRA regardless of whether stimuli associated with previously reinforced alternative responses were removed (Experiment 1) or remained present (Experiment 2) for the serial-DRA group. Further, a primacy effect in resurgence was obtained for the serial-DRA group in both experiments. Overall, these results suggest that expanded-operant treatments may not help to reduce resurgence.
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8
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Irwin Helvey C, Fisher WW, Greer BD, Fuhrman AM, Mitteer DR. Resurgence of destructive behavior following differential rates of alternative reinforcement. J Appl Behav Anal 2023; 56:804-815. [PMID: 37477560 PMCID: PMC10592362 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.1010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral momentum theory (BMT) suggests that resurgence of destructive behavior may be at least partly determined by the rate of alternative reinforcement, with lean schedules of reinforcement producing less resurgence than dense schedules. Findings from basic and translational studies have been mixed, and the effects of alternative reinforcement rate on resurgence remain unclear. In the current study, we conducted a within-subject evaluation of resurgence during extinction with four children following functional communication training using dense and lean (BMT-informed) schedules of alternative reinforcement. We observed no reliable differences in resurgence across the dense and lean conditions. We discuss implications of these findings in relation to future research using quantitative analyses to evaluate the relative effects of alternative reinforcement rate and other BMT-based strategies for mitigating resurgence in applied settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey Irwin Helvey
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Severe Behavior Program, Children’s Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH–RUCARES), Somerset, NJ, USA
| | - Wayne W. Fisher
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Severe Behavior Program, Children’s Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH–RUCARES), Somerset, NJ, USA
- Rutgers Brain Health Institute, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Brian D. Greer
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Severe Behavior Program, Children’s Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH–RUCARES), Somerset, NJ, USA
- Rutgers Brain Health Institute, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | | | - Daniel R. Mitteer
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Severe Behavior Program, Children’s Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH–RUCARES), Somerset, NJ, USA
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9
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Laureano B, Falligant JM. Modeling Behavioral Persistence with Resurgence as Choice in Context (RaC 2): A Tutorial. Behav Anal Pract 2023; 16:640-651. [PMID: 37187845 PMCID: PMC10170016 DOI: 10.1007/s40617-023-00796-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Resurgence as Choice in Context (RaC2) is a quantitative model for evaluating the reemergence of a previously extinguished response when alternative reinforcement is worsened. Rooted in the matching law, RaC2 proposes that allocation between target and alternative responding is based on changes in the relative value of each response option over time, accounting for periods with and without alternative reinforcement. Given that practitioners and applied researchers may have limited experience with constructing quantitative models, we provide a step-by-step task analysis for building RaC2 using Microsoft Excel 2013. We also provide a few basic learning activities to help readers better understand RaC2 itself, the variables that affect the model's predictions, and the clinical implications of those predictions. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40617-023-00796-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Laureano
- Neurobehavioral Unit, Kennedy Krieger Institute, 707 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - John Michael Falligant
- Neurobehavioral Unit, Kennedy Krieger Institute, 707 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
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10
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Nieto J, Mason TA, García-Salazar J, Bernal-Gamboa R, Gámez AM. The impact of prolonging extinction on the ABC "super renewal" of instrumental responses in rats. Behav Processes 2023; 209:104891. [PMID: 37201661 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2023.104891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Two free operant conditioning experiments with rats examined the impact of conducting a large amount of extinction training on situations that enhance the ABC renewal effect (ABC super renewal). In Experiment 1, ABC renewal was strengthened by conducting acquisition in multiple contexts. All rats were trained to press a lever for food. One group was trained in one context, while the other two groups were trained in three contexts. Then, all rats received extinction in context B. For two groups this phase lasted 4 sessions, whereas it lasted 36 sessions for the other group. In Experiment 2, ABC renewal was strengthened by using a large number of acquisition sessions. Rats were trained to perform an operant response to obtain food in context A. One group received a moderate amount of training, while the rest of the rats received a larger number of acquisition sessions. Responses underwent extinction in context B. Two groups received 4 sessions, while 36 extinction sessions were used for the remaining group. In both experiments, rats were tested in context B (extinction context) and C (renewal context). Greater ABC renewal occurred both when acquisition training was conducted in multiple contexts (Experiment 1) and by increasing the amount of acquisition training (Experiment 2). Nevertheless, we found that conducting a large number of extinction sessions reduced ABC super renewal in Experiment 1 only.
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11
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Kimball RT, Greer BD, Fuhrman AM, Lambert JM. Relapse and its mitigation: Toward behavioral inoculation. J Appl Behav Anal 2023; 56:282-301. [PMID: 36715533 PMCID: PMC10121865 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Relapse following the successful treatment of problem behavior can increase the likelihood of injury and the need for more intensive care. Current research offers some predictions of how treatment procedures may contribute to relapse, and conversely, how the risk of relapse can be mitigated. This review describes relapse-mitigation procedures with varying levels of support, the quantitative models that have influenced the research on relapse mitigation, different experimental methods for measuring relapse mitigation, and directions for future research. We propose that by viewing the implementation of relapse-mitigation procedures as a means of producing behavioral inoculation, clinicians are placed in the proactive and intentional role of exposing their client's behavior to an array of reinforcement and stimulus conditions during treatment with the goal of decreasing the detrimental impact of future treatment challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T. Kimball
- Department of Counseling and Applied Behavioral Studies, University of Saint Joseph
| | - Brian D. Greer
- Rutgers Brain Health Institute
- Severe Behavior Program, Children’s Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH–RUCARES)
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
| | - Ashley M. Fuhrman
- Severe Behavior Program, Children’s Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH–RUCARES)
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
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12
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Kimball RT, Salvetti EL, Day LE, Karis R, Silveira J, Kranak MP. Operant ABA renewal during dense and lean schedules of differential reinforcement. J Exp Anal Behav 2023; 119:529-538. [PMID: 36945863 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Renewal is a type of relapse that occurs due to a change in context. Previous research has demonstrated that renewal of target responding may occur despite the availability of differential reinforcement for an alternative response (DRA). Nevertheless, the current literature on renewal presents mixed findings regarding the effects of dense and lean schedules of DRA on the magnitude of renewal. We used a translational approach with undergraduate college students and a task on a touchscreen tablet device to study the effects of dense and lean schedules of DRA during repeated renewal tests. All participants experienced two, three-phase ABA renewal arrangements. In the dense and lean renewal arrangements, we differentially reinforced alternative behavior in Context B and the renewal test in Context A on a VI 3-s or a VI 12-s schedule, respectively. Overall, we observed renewal in 31/36 (86%) renewal tests regardless of the density of reinforcement for the alternative response. Furthermore, the results showed that although renewal occurred in both arrangements, we found slightly higher magnitudes of renewal during DRA with lean schedules of reinforcement relative to dense schedules. We discuss the implications of these findings as they relate to the treatment of problem behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily L Salvetti
- University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute, Omaha, NE, USA
| | | | | | | | - Michael P Kranak
- Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA
- Oakland University Center for Autism, Rochester, MI, USA
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13
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Greer BD, Shahan TA, Fisher WW, Mitteer DR, Fuhrman AM. Further evaluation of treatment duration on the resurgence of destructive behavior. J Appl Behav Anal 2023; 56:166-180. [PMID: 36203259 PMCID: PMC9868049 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Translation of promising procedures for mitigating treatment relapse has received considerable attention recently from researchers across the basic-applied continuum. One procedure that has demonstrated mixed support involves increasing the duration of treatment as a strategy for blunting resurgence. In a recent translational study, Greer et al. (2020) failed to detect a mitigation effect of increased treatment duration on the resurgence of destructive behavior. However, design limitations may have been responsible. The present study corrected these limitations by (a) employing a sequential design to decrease the possibility of multiple-treatment interference, (b) evaluating more treatment durations, (c) arranging treatments of fixed durations, and (d) conducting treatments of more extreme duration in a different clinical sample. Despite these improvements in experimental rigor and the testing of more extreme boundary conditions, the present study also failed to detect a mitigation effect of increased treatment duration. Likely explanations are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D. Greer
- Rutgers Brain Health Institute
- Children's Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH–RUCARES)
- Department of PediatricsRutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
| | | | - Wayne W. Fisher
- Rutgers Brain Health Institute
- Children's Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH–RUCARES)
- Department of PediatricsRutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
| | - Daniel R. Mitteer
- Children's Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH–RUCARES)
- Department of PediatricsRutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
| | - Ashley M. Fuhrman
- Children's Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH–RUCARES)
- Department of PediatricsRutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
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14
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Fisher WW, Greer BD, Shahan TA, Norris HM. Basic and applied research on extinction bursts. J Appl Behav Anal 2023; 56:4-28. [PMID: 36193974 PMCID: PMC9868065 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Discontinuation of the contingency between a response and its reinforcer sometimes produces a temporary increase in the response before its rate decreases, a phenomenon called the extinction burst. Prior clinical and basic studies on the prevalence of the extinction burst provide highly disparate estimates. Existing theories on the extinction burst fail to account for the dynamic nature of this phenomenon, and the basic behavioral processes that control response bursting remain poorly understood. In this paper, we first review the basic and applied literature on the extinction burst. We then describe a recent refinement of the concatenated matching law called the temporally weighted matching law that appears to resolve the above-mentioned issues regarding the extinction burst. We present illustrative translational data based conceptually on the model. Finally, we discuss specific recommendations derived from the temporally weighted matching law regarding procedures clinicians could implement to potentially mitigate or prevent extinction bursts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wayne W. Fisher
- Rutgers Brain Health Institute
- Children's Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services
- Department of PediatricsRutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
| | - Brian D. Greer
- Rutgers Brain Health Institute
- Children's Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services
- Department of PediatricsRutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
| | | | - Halle M. Norris
- Children's Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services
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15
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Falligant JM, Hagopian LP, Kranak MP, Kurtz PF. Quantifying increases in problem behavior following downshifts in reinforcement: A retrospective analysis and replication. J Exp Anal Behav 2022; 118:148-155. [PMID: 35534950 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The recurrence of a previously eliminated or reduced behavior following a downshift in alternative reinforcement is referred to as resurgence. Resurgence as Choice (RaC) is a quantitative model of behavioral persistence that posits that resurgence is governed by the same behavioral principles that underlie choice behavior. Consistent with the predictions of RaC, extant basic research with animals indicates that resurgence increases as an exponential function of the size of the downshift in alternative reinforcement. Recently, Shahan and Greer (2021) extended this finding to resurgence of problem behavior during schedule thinning following functional communication training (FCT). They found that when resurgence occurred, it increased exponentially as a function of relative decrements in reinforcer availability during schedule thinning with compound schedules of reinforcement. The purpose of the current study was to directly replicate the analytic procedures described in Shahan and Greer to examine resurgence of problem behavior during schedule thinning following FCT using two novel clinical datasets. Our results closely replicate the findings from Shahan and Greer, providing additional support for the generality of resurgence during downshifts in alternative reinforcement in clinical contexts. These results also highlight the potential applicability of RaC for modeling resurgence of problem behavior during FCT schedule thinning.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Falligant
- Kennedy Krieger Institute.,Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
| | - Louis P Hagopian
- Kennedy Krieger Institute.,Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
| | | | - Patricia F Kurtz
- Kennedy Krieger Institute.,Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
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16
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Conducting Translational Research in the Context of Patient Care. Perspect Behav Sci 2022; 45:383-398. [PMID: 35719871 PMCID: PMC9163257 DOI: 10.1007/s40614-022-00333-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although much has been written on the importance of translational research for bridging the continuum of basic science to clinical practice, few authors have described how such work can be carried out practically when working with patient populations in the context of ongoing clinical service delivery, where the priorities for patient care can sometimes conflict with the methods and goals of translational research. In this article, we explore some of the considerations for conducting this type of work while balancing clinical responsibilities that ensure high-quality patient care. We also discuss strategies we have found to jointly facilitate translational research and improve routine, clinical service delivery. A primary goal of this article is to encourage others working in applied settings to contribute to the increasingly important role that translational research plays in our science and practice by helping to better characterize and potentially lessen or remove barriers that may have impeded such investigations in the past.
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17
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Modeling resurgence with an evolutionary theory of behavior dynamics. Behav Processes 2022; 197:104623. [PMID: 35318109 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
McDowell's (2004) Evolutionary Theory of Behavior Dynamics (ETBD) is a computational theory that has reproduced a wide variety of behavioral phenomena observed in material reality. Here, we extended the generality of the ETBD by successfully replicating laboratory studies of resurgence with live animals using artificial organisms (AOs) animated by the theory. We ran AOs on concurrent random-interval random-interval (conc RI RI) schedules of reinforcement wherein one alternative (i.e., a target behavior) was reinforced while the other alternative (i.e., an alternative behavior) was not reinforced. Then, we placed the target behavior on extinction and reinforced the alternative response, producing a shift in allocation of responding from the target behavior to the alternative response. Finally, schedule thinning of the alternative response (i.e., downshifts) resulted in resurgence of target behavior. Our findings indicated that resurgence increased as a function of the relative downshift in reinforcement rate and magnitude, replicating findings from previous studies with live animals. These results further illustrate the utility of the ETBD for generating dynamic behavioral data and serve as a proof-of-concept for a novel computational approach for studying and understanding resurgence in future studies.
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Translating Quantitative Theories of Behavior into Improved Clinical Treatments for Problem Behavior. Behav Processes 2022; 198:104639. [PMID: 35405305 PMCID: PMC10088503 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The most important advancement in the treatment of destructive behavior has been the development of the functional analysis, which is used to prescribe effective treatments like functional communication training. Although this approach can be highly effective, extinction bursts and forms of treatment relapse commonly occur when function-based treatments are implemented by caregivers in natural community settings. In recent years, researchers have increasingly applied quantitative theories of behavior like behavioral momentum theory (BMT) and the temporally weighted matching law (TWML) to understand, prevent, or mitigate extinction bursts and treatment relapse. In this paper, we describe BMT and TWML and selectively review the basic, translational, and applied research supporting and opposing each theory. Then, we describe how function-based treatments may be refined based on these theories to improve the effectiveness, generality, and durability of function-based treatments for individuals with autism spectrum and related disorders who display problem behavior.
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Falligant JM, Chin MD, Kurtz PF. Renewal and resurgence of severe problem behavior in an intensive outpatient setting: Prevalence, magnitude, and implications for practice. BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/bin.1878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John M. Falligant
- Department of Behavioral Psychology Kennedy Krieger Institute Baltimore Maryland USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USA
| | - Michelle D. Chin
- Department of Behavioral Psychology Kennedy Krieger Institute Baltimore Maryland USA
| | - Patricia F. Kurtz
- Department of Behavioral Psychology Kennedy Krieger Institute Baltimore Maryland USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USA
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20
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Smith SW, Greer BD. Phase duration and resurgence. J Exp Anal Behav 2022; 117:91-104. [PMID: 34762309 PMCID: PMC8908731 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Resurgence, the recurrence of responding due to a worsening of reinforcement conditions for current behavior, is a prevalent form of treatment relapse. Resurgence as Choice in Context predicts that increasing the duration of exposure to reinforcement for target responding during Phase 1 will increase resurgence magnitude, whereas increasing the duration of exposure to reinforcement for alternative responding and extinction for target responding during Phase 2 will decrease resurgence magnitude. We conducted an experiment evaluating these predictions with human participants recruited through Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform. We varied Phase 1 and Phase 2 durations across 4 experimental groups. Resurgence as Choice in Context successfully predicted the differences in resurgence magnitude across these groups, and fitting the quantitative model to the obtained data yielded an exceptional coefficient of determination. We discuss the implications of these results for using Resurgence as Choice in Context to inform experiments with human participants and the feasibility of using human-operant preparations to evaluate resurgence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean W. Smith
- Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Severe Behavior Program, Children’s Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH–RUCARES)
| | - Brian D. Greer
- Severe Behavior Program, Children’s Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH–RUCARES)
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
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21
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Muharib R, Dowdy A, Rajaraman A, Jessel J. Contingency-based delay to reinforcement following functional communication training for autistic individuals: A multilevel meta-analysis. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 26:761-781. [PMID: 34961394 DOI: 10.1177/13623613211065540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Functional communication training, an intervention for challenging behavior rooted in principles of applied behavior analysis, has copious empirical support dating back to the mid-1980s for autistic individuals. Recently, there has been a concerted effort to thin reinforcement delivery during functional communication training using contingency-based delays that, in turn, are designed to enhance practicality and feasibility while not compromising efficacy. In this synthesis, we meta-analyzed the literature base with the goal of investigating both combined and across type effectiveness of contingency-based delays. We also aimed to investigate moderating variables that might impact intervention outcomes. Findings showed that contingency-based delays were effective for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and most effective when the delay incorporated some form of positive reinforcement. In addition, differential reinforcement of alternative-based delays was overall more effective when compared to differential reinforcement of other behavior-based delays. Noteworthy moderating variables found to impact contingency-based delay efficacy included the intervention dosage and the topography of behavior. We discuss these findings and highlight directions where additional empirical research is warranted to improve our understanding about contingency-based delays for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
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22
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Miller SA, Fisher WW, Greer BD, Saini V, Keevy MD. Procedures for determining and then modifying the extinction component of multiple schedules for destructive behavior. J Appl Behav Anal 2021; 55:463-480. [PMID: 34897677 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
As a component of reinforcer schedule thinning following functional communication training, multiple schedules of reinforcement produce desirable rates and patterns of communication responses as an alternative response to destructive behavior. However, reinforcement schedule thinning is a gradual process that can take many sessions to obtain therapeutic goals. The desired outcome is that manding occurs only during signaled intervals of reinforcement with a sufficiently lean terminal schedule of reinforcement availability and low rates of destructive behavior. The purposes of this study were to (a) evaluate an assessment for informing the initial duration of extinction for alternative responding, (b) evaluate the utility of competing stimuli during extinction for alternative responding, and (c) assess a method for fading the availability of competing stimuli. With these procedures, all 4 participants experienced terminal schedules of reinforcement with rapid, robust reductions in destructive behavior soon after baseline. We discuss the implications and directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A Miller
- University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute
| | - Wayne W Fisher
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.,Severe Behavior Program, Children's Specialized Hospital-Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH-RUCARES)
| | - Brian D Greer
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.,Severe Behavior Program, Children's Specialized Hospital-Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH-RUCARES)
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Kranak MP, Falligant JM. Analysis of terminal schedule probes and schedule thinning effects following functional communication training. BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/bin.1842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael P. Kranak
- Department of Human Development and Child Studies Oakland University Rochester Michigan USA
- Oakland University Center for Autism Rochester Michigan USA
| | - John Michael Falligant
- Kennedy Krieger Institute Baltimore Maryland USA
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USA
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24
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Kranak MP, Falligant JM. Further investigation of resurgence following schedule thinning: Extension to an inpatient setting. BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/bin.1831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael P. Kranak
- Department of Human Development and Child Studies Oakland University Rochester Michigan USA
- Oakland University Center for Autism Rochester Michigan USA
| | - John Michael Falligant
- Department of Behavioral Psychology Kennedy Krieger Institute Baltimore Maryland USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USA
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25
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Shahan TA, Greer BD. Destructive behavior increases as a function of reductions in alternative reinforcement during schedule thinning: A retrospective quantitative analysis. J Exp Anal Behav 2021; 116:243-248. [PMID: 34219242 PMCID: PMC8491516 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The behavioral processes determining the magnitude of the resurgence of destructive behavior during reinforcement schedule thinning have yet to be described, despite an uptick in prevalence research on the topic. As predicted by Resurgence as Choice theory, recent animal research has found that resurgence increases with the magnitude of a downshift in alternative reinforcement. Here we reanalyze the data from 2 recent prevalence studies to determine whether the size of the decrease in alternative reinforcement availability predicts the magnitude of resurgence in the clinic. Results from this retrospective analysis suggest that resurgence of destructive behavior increases significantly with decreases in the availability of alternative reinforcement. Implications for future research and translations of theoretical analyses to the clinic are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian D. Greer
- Children’s Specialized Hospital–Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (CSH–RUCARES)
- Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
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26
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Robinson TP, Kelley ME. Renewal and resurgence phenomena generalize to Amazon's Mechanical Turk. J Exp Anal Behav 2021; 113:206-213. [PMID: 31965578 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is a crowdsourcing platform that provides researchers with the potential for obtaining behavioral data for very little cost. However, the extent to which the results of common behavioral phenomena found in basic, translational, and applied laboratories may be reproduced (as a first step towards prospective research) via MTurk remains relatively unexplored. We evaluated renewal and resurgence arrangements using MTurk as the subject recruitment platform as a first step to determining the generality of the obtained data. Results suggested that MTurk participants produced renewal and resurgence data similar to those reported in basic, translational, and applied studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Théo P Robinson
- The Scott Center for Autism Treatment at Florida Institute of Technology
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27
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Fuhrman AM, Lambert JM, Greer BD. A Brief Review of Expanded-Operant Treatments for Mitigating Resurgence. PSYCHOLOGICAL RECORD 2021; 72:319-323. [DOI: 10.1007/s40732-021-00456-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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28
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Muething C, Pavlov A, Call N, Ringdahl J, Gillespie S. Prevalence of resurgence during thinning of multiple schedules of reinforcement following functional communication training. J Appl Behav Anal 2020; 54:813-823. [DOI: 10.1002/jaba.791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Colin Muething
- Marcus Autism Center Emory University School of Medicine
| | - Alexis Pavlov
- Marcus Autism Center Emory University School of Medicine
| | - Nathan Call
- Marcus Autism Center Emory University School of Medicine
| | - Joel Ringdahl
- Center for Autism and Behavioral Education Research University of Georgia
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Sumter ME, Gifford MR, Tiger JH, Effertz HM, Fulton CJ. Providing noncontingent, alternative, functional reinforcers during delays following functional communication training. J Appl Behav Anal 2020; 53:2319-2329. [DOI: 10.1002/jaba.708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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Psychological treatment strategies for challenging behaviours in neurodevelopmental disorders: what lies beyond a purely behavioural approach? Curr Opin Psychiatry 2020; 33:92-109. [PMID: 31743125 DOI: 10.1097/yco.0000000000000571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Challenging behaviour shown by individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) has a major negative impact. There is robust evidence for the efficacy of treatments based on applied behaviour analysis. However, such approaches are limited in important ways - providing only part of the whole solution. We reviewed the literature to provide an overview of recent progress in psychological treatments for challenging behaviour and how these advance the field beyond a purely behavioural approach. RECENT FINDING We identified 1029 articles via a systematic search and screened for those implementing a psychological intervention with individuals with NDD (or caregivers) and measuring the potential impact on challenging behaviour. Of the 69 included studies published since 2018, more than 50% implemented a purely behavioural intervention. Other studies could generally be categorized as implementing parent training, meditation, skill training or technology-assisted interventions. SUMMARY Greater consideration of the interplay between behavioural and nonbehavioural intervention components; systematic approaches to personalization when going beyond the behavioural model; mental health and broad social communication needs; and models that include cognitive and emotional pathways to challenging behaviour; is needed to advance the field. Furthermore, technology should not be overlooked as an important potential facilitator of intervention efforts.
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Brown KR, Greer BD, Craig AR, Sullivan WE, Fisher WW, Roane HS. Resurgence following differential reinforcement of alternative behavior implemented with and without extinction. J Exp Anal Behav 2020; 113:449-467. [PMID: 32133673 PMCID: PMC8111434 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In the clinic, differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) often involves programming extinction for destructive behavior while reinforcing an alternative form of communication (e.g., a functional communication response); however, implementing extinction can be unsafe or impractical under some circumstances. Quantitative theories of resurgence (i.e., Behavioral Momentum Theory and Resurgence as Choice) predict differences in the efficacy of treatments that do and do not involve extinction of target responding when reinforcement conditions maintaining alternative responding worsen. We tested these predictions by examining resurgence following two DRA conditions in which we equated rates of reinforcement. In DRA without extinction, target and alternative behavior produced reinforcement. In DRA with extinction plus noncontingent reinforcement, only alternative behavior produced reinforcement. We conducted this study in a reverse-translation sequence, first with participants who engaged in destructive behavior (Experiment 1) and then in a laboratory setting with rats (Experiment 2). Across both experiments, we observed proportionally lower levels of target responding during and following the DRA condition that arranged extinction for the target response. However, levels of resurgence were similar following both arrangements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian D. Greer
- University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute
| | | | | | - Wayne W. Fisher
- University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute
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32
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Shvarts S, Jimenez‐Gomez C, Bai JYH, Thomas RR, Oskam JJ, Podlesnik CA. Examining stimuli paired with alternative reinforcement to mitigate resurgence in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and pigeons. J Exp Anal Behav 2019; 113:214-231. [DOI: 10.1002/jeab.575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Shvarts
- Florida Institute of Technology and The Scott Center for Autism Treatment
| | | | | | - Rachel R. Thomas
- Florida Institute of Technology and The Scott Center for Autism Treatment
| | - James J Oskam
- Florida Institute of Technology and The Scott Center for Autism Treatment
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33
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Greer BD, Fisher WW, Retzlaff BJ, Fuhrman AM. A preliminary evaluation of treatment duration on the resurgence of destructive behavior. J Exp Anal Behav 2019; 113:251-262. [PMID: 31811663 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Quantitative models of resurgence (e.g., Behavioral Momentum Theory, Resurgence as Choice) suggest that resurgence is partly a function of the duration of extinction exposure, with longer histories of extinction producing less resurgence. This prediction is supported by some laboratory research and has been partially supported by clinical translations that did not isolate the effects of extinction exposure prior to testing for resurgence. The degree to which different histories of extinction impact the likelihood of treatment relapse in therapeutic applications of differential reinforcement is of great interest to the clinical community, including insurance carriers and other financial providers. In the present study, we isolated the effects of extinction history for severe destructive behavior across 6 participants referred for treatment services and examined resurgence of destructive behavior when alternative reinforcement terminated. Our within-subject evaluation showed no difference in the level of resurgence or persistence of destructive behavior following short and long exposures to differential reinforcement with extinction. We discuss our failure to replicate in relation to experimental-design considerations for investigating this and other relapse phenomena in future research with clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Greer
- University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute
| | - Wayne W Fisher
- University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute
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Saini V, Mitteer DR. A review of investigations of operant renewal with human participants: Implications for theory and practice. J Exp Anal Behav 2019; 113:105-123. [PMID: 31758573 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Operant renewal is the recurrence of a previously eliminated target behavior as a function of changing stimulus contexts. Renewal as a model of treatment relapse in humans suggests that a change in stimulus conditions or context is sufficient to produce relapse of a previously eliminated maladaptive behavior. The extent to which general findings from operant renewal studies involving nonhuman animal subjects are supported by relapse studies involving human participants is unknown. We conducted a systematic review of studies demonstrating or mitigating operant renewal in human participants in peer-reviewed studies found in PsycINFO, ERIC, PubMed, and Scopus between 1980 and 2019. We identified 12 studies involving 61 participants and 93 cases of operant renewal. We coded descriptive data on participant and study characteristics and calculated summary statistics. Results indicated that the renewal effect was a robust phenomenon, supported by demonstrations in both clinical and human-laboratory studies, and across a variety of variables and experimental preparations. However, there were relatively few studies involving human participants that attempted to reduce or eliminate renewal of clinically meaningful behavior. We discuss variables relevant for studying renewal in socially meaningful contexts, practical limitations of observing the renewal effect in real-world settings, implications for theoretical models of renewal, and identify barriers to methodology unique to human participants. We provide directions for future research related to implementing and translating nonhuman animal studies of renewal to applied settings.
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35
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Fisher WW, Fuhrman AM, Greer BD, Mitteer DR, Piazza CC. Mitigating resurgence of destructive behavior using the discriminative stimuli of a multiple schedule. J Exp Anal Behav 2019; 113:263-277. [PMID: 31621919 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Results of several recent translational studies have suggested that correlating contextual or discriminative stimuli with the delivery and withholding of reinforcement for the functional communication response (FCR) may mitigate resurgence of destructive behavior, but few, if any, have isolated the effects of those stimuli. In the present study, we first trained the FCR, brought it under stimulus control of a multiple schedule, and thinned its reinforcement schedule in one stimulus context. Next, we conducted resurgence evaluations (i.e., baseline, functional communication training [FCT], extinction challenge) in two novel contexts to test the effects of the discriminative stimuli on resurgence. We programmed one context to include the (a) SD during the FCT phase to signal the availability of reinforcement for the FCR and (b) SΔ during a subsequent extinction challenge to signal the unavailability of reinforcement for the FCR. The other context did not include the SD during the FCT phase, nor the SΔ during the extinction challenge. We expected to see greater persistence of the FCR in the context that included the SD during FCT and less persistence of the FCR and less resurgence of destructive behavior in the context that included the SΔ during the extinction challenge. Obtained results confirmed this latter prediction, but we observed no reliable difference when the SD was present or absent during the FCT phase. Our results have relevance for practitioners in that they provide further empirical support for the use of discriminative stimuli when treating destructive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wayne W Fisher
- University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute
| | | | - Brian D Greer
- University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute
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36
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Greer BD, Fisher WW, Briggs AM, Lichtblau KR, Phillips LA, Mitteer DR. Using Schedule-Correlated Stimuli During Functional Communication Training to Promote the Rapid Transfer of Treatment Effects. BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT BULLETIN 2019; 24:100-119. [PMID: 31749897 PMCID: PMC6867805 DOI: 10.1037/bdb0000085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Prior research has shown that bringing functional communication responses under the discriminative control of schedule-correlated stimuli facilitates rapid reinforcement schedule thinning and the transfer of functional communication training (FCT) treatment effects to other therapists and settings. In Experiment 1, we extended this body of research by rapidly transferring FCT treatment effects to a caregiver, despite the caregiver's unique and lengthy history of reinforcement of the child's destructive behavior. In Experiment 2, we evaluated the degree to which FCT treatment effects transferred to another participant's caregivers when the caregivers implemented FCT with and without schedule-correlated stimuli. Rapid transfer of FCT treatment effects occurred only when caregivers used the schedule-correlated stimuli. We discuss the use of schedule-correlated stimuli within FCT procedures as a method of programming for generalization when extending treatment to caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Greer
- University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute
| | - Wayne W Fisher
- University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute
| | - Adam M Briggs
- University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute
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37
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Neely L, Graber J, Kunnavatana S, Cantrell K. Impact of language on behavior treatment outcomes. J Appl Behav Anal 2019; 53:796-810. [PMID: 31441046 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Resurgence of problem behavior following effective functional communication training (FCT) can occur if the functional communication response contacts extinction. For children from dual-language households, extinction may unintentionally occur due to language variations among communication partners. In the current study, the experimenters evaluated the effect of language on FCT outcomes. Participants were 3 children with autism who engaged in problem behavior and whose parents reported Spanish as the primary home language. The experimenters conducted FCT in the English language followed by probes in the Spanish language. Results suggest that functional communication responses (FCRs) learned in the first language (English) may lead to resurgence of problem behavior when English FCRs do not contact reinforcement in the untaught language (e.g., Spanish). Two of the participants required additional teaching in the secondary language (Spanish), while the third participant eventually emitted Spanish FCRs in the Spanish condition without explicit teaching.
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38
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Greer BD, Shahan TA. Resurgence as Choice: Implications for promoting durable behavior change. J Appl Behav Anal 2019; 52:816-846. [PMID: 31049954 PMCID: PMC6625346 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Resurgence is an increase in a previously suppressed behavior resulting from a worsening in reinforcement conditions for current behavior. Resurgence is often observed following successful treatment of problem behavior with differential reinforcement when reinforcement for an alternative behavior is subsequently omitted or reduced. The efficacy of differential reinforcement has long been conceptualized in terms of quantitative models of choice between concurrent operants (i.e., the matching law). Here, we provide an overview of a novel quantitative model of resurgence called Resurgence as Choice (RaC), which suggests that resurgence results from these same basic choice processes. We review the failures of the only other quantitative model of resurgence (i.e., Behavioral Momentum Theory) and discuss its shortcomings with respect to the limited range of circumstances about which it makes predictions in applied settings. Finally, we describe how RaC overcomes these shortcomings and discuss implications of the model for promoting durable behavior change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Greer
- University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute
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39
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Fisher WW, Saini V, Greer BD, Sullivan WE, Roane HS, Fuhrman AM, Craig AR, Kimball RT. Baseline reinforcement rate and resurgence of destructive behavior. J Exp Anal Behav 2019; 111:75-93. [PMID: 30499107 PMCID: PMC6350246 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 11/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Concepts from behavioral momentum theory, along with some empirical findings, suggest that the rate of baseline reinforcement may contribute to the relapse of severe destructive behavior. With seven children who engaged in destructive behavior, we tested this hypothesis in the context of functional communication training by comparing the effects of different baseline reinforcement rates on resurgence during a treatment challenge (i.e., extinction). We observed convincing resurgence of destructive behavior in four of seven participants, and we observed more resurgence in the condition associated with high-rate baseline reinforcement (i.e., variable-interval 2 s in Experiment 1 or fixed-ratio 1 in Experiment 2) compared to a low-rate baseline reinforcement condition. We discuss the implications of these results relative to schedules of reinforcement in the treatment of destructive behavior and strategies to mitigate resurgence in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wayne W. Fisher
- University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute
| | | | - Brian D. Greer
- University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute
| | | | | | | | - Andrew R. Craig
- University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute
| | - Ryan T. Kimball
- University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute
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Briggs AM, Fisher WW, Greer BD, Kimball RT. Prevalence of resurgence of destructive behavior when thinning reinforcement schedules during functional communication training. J Appl Behav Anal 2018; 51:620-633. [PMID: 29774545 PMCID: PMC6041172 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Functional communication training is a well-established treatment for socially reinforced destructive behavior that typically includes differential reinforcement of the functional communication response (FCR) in combination with extinction of destructive behavior. However, when the schedule of reinforcement for the FCR is thinned, destructive behavior may resurge (e.g., Greer, Fisher, Saini, Owen, & Jones, 2016). Currently, data are unavailable on the prevalence and characteristics of resurgence during reinforcement schedule thinning. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of resurgence during reinforcement schedule thinning on a per-case and per-schedule-step basis and also evaluated the magnitude of resurgence in relation to the functions of destructive behavior. We observed resurgence in 19 of the 25 (76%) applications of reinforcement schedule thinning. In some cases, the magnitude of resurgence exceeded the mean levels of destructive behavior observed in baseline. We discuss these results relative to prior translational and applied research on resurgence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam M. Briggs
- University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe‐Meyer Institute
| | - Wayne W. Fisher
- University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe‐Meyer Institute
| | - Brian D. Greer
- University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe‐Meyer Institute
| | - Ryan T. Kimball
- University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe‐Meyer Institute
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Kestner KM, Romano LM, St. Peter CC, Mesches GA. Resurgence Following Response Cost in a Human-Operant Procedure. PSYCHOLOGICAL RECORD 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s40732-018-0270-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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