Further examination of factors that influence preference for positive versus negative reinforcement

Treatment Acceptability for Interventions Addressing Challenging Behavior Among Chinese Caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The present study evaluated treatment acceptability for behavioral interventions addressing challenging behaviors with Chinese caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder. Factors influencing treatment acceptability (i.e., severity of challenging behavior and Chinese child-rearing values) were investigated. Caregivers of children aged 2-12 years (N = 216) participated in this survey study. Results suggest that caregivers found positive strategies including noncontingent reinforcement and positive reinforcement the most acceptable; punishment-based strategies were rated as the least acceptable. Furthermore, positive punishment was perceived as more acceptable for severe challenging behavior. Caregivers who endorsed training were more likely to find positive strategies acceptable, whereas those who endorsed shaming were more likely to rate punishment-based strategies as more acceptable. Implications for future research and culturally competent behavioral treatments in Chinese context are provided.

A preference analysis of reinforcer variation and choice

Reinforcement procedures are the cornerstone of behavioral interventions. Previous research has focused on manipulating parameters of reinforcement including quality, magnitude, and rate. In this study, we sought to better understand ways to implement reinforcer choice and variation, and to assess preference for these parameters. Across 10 participants with and without disabilities, we assessed preference for varied reinforcement conditions, as well as choice of reinforcers in a concurrent-chains arrangement. Most participants preferred varied reinforcement conditions and subsequently, choice of reinforcers, over a previously preferred varied reinforcement condition. Implications for reinforcement arrangement in teaching situations are discussed.

Assessment and treatment of self-control with aversive events

Self-control can be defined as choosing a smaller, immediate aversive event over a larger, delayed aversive event (e.g., flossing daily instead of risking major dental problems later). Children with developmental disabilities have been found to respond impulsively when given the choice between aversive events that differ based on magnitude and difficulty. However, qualitative differences between events may also impact aversiveness. This study attempted to replicate and extend prior research by (i) empirically identifying a hierarchy of qualitatively different aversive tasks for three individuals with developmental disabilities by evaluating their average latency to escape responses when presented with each task, (ii) assessing baseline levels of self-control (i.e., selection of immediate, low-aversive tasks over delayed, high-aversive tasks), and (iii) implementing an empirically validated treatment (i.e., adding a delay to both tasks). Each participant initially made impulsive choices, but self-control increased following treatment.

Positive reinforcement as treatment for problem behavior maintained by negative reinforcement

Functional analyses (Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, & Richman, 1982/1994) have been useful in determining function-based treatments for problem behavior. Recently, however, researchers have evaluated the use of arbitrary reinforcers (e.g., positive reinforcers) to decrease problem behavior maintained by negative reinforcement, particularly in the absence of extinction. We provide a brief review of recent research on this topic and discuss implications regarding mechanisms, practice, and future research directions.

Evaluating the separate and combined effects of positive and negative reinforcement on task compliance

Positive and negative reinforcement are effective for treating escape-maintained destructive behavior. The current study evaluated the separate and combined effects of these contingencies to increase task compliance. Results showed that a combination of positive and negative reinforcement was most effective for increasing compliance.

A comparison of various forms of reinforcement with and without extinction as treatment for escape-maintained problem behavior

The present investigation compared the effects of reinforcing compliance with either positive or negative reinforcement for a participant who displayed escape-maintained problem behavior. The results indicated that positive reinforcement in the form of a highly preferred edible or leisure item produced higher levels of compliance and lower levels of problem behavior when compared to negative reinforcement in the form of escape from demands. In addition, an extinction procedure was unnecessary to achieve high levels of compliance.

Assessing the utility of a demand assessment for functional analysis

We evaluated the utility of an assessment for identifying tasks for the functional analysis demand condition with 4 individuals who had been diagnosed with autism. During the demand assessment, a therapist presented a variety of tasks, and observers measured problem behavior and compliance to identify demands associated with low levels of compliance or high levels of problem behavior (low-probability demands) and demands associated with high levels of compliance or low levels of problem behavior (high-probability demands). Results showed that clearer functional analysis outcomes were obtained for 3 of the 4 participants when low-probability rather than high-probability demands were used.

An evaluation of the interaction between quality of attention and negative reinforcement with children who display escape-maintained problem behavior

The choice-making behavior of 2 typically developing children who engaged in problem behavior maintained by negative reinforcement was evaluated within a concurrent-operants assessment that varied the quality of attention across free-play and demand conditions. The results demonstrated that it was possible to bias responding towards academic demands for both participants by providing high-quality attention, despite the continuous availability of negative reinforcement. The current study extended brief clinical methods with typically developing children and demonstrated how different qualities of attention provided across concurrent schedules could bias responding.

Increasing the On-Task Homework Behavior of Youth With Behavior Disorders Using Functional Behavioral Assessment

Research has shown a positive correlation between time spent on homework and learning. However, students often engage in off-task behaviors to escape the demands of homework. Youth with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) are especially likely to engage in off-task behaviors. Effective interventions to increase on-task behavior during homework are needed to increase students' academic success. Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) procedures may be helpful for intervention planning; however, there has been limited research on use of FBA with youth with EBD experiencing poor academic performance or task completion problems. In the current study, FBA methods were used to identify the contingencies maintaining the off-task behavior of four youth with behavior problems. Effects of interventions based on functional hypotheses were compared to the effects of interventions not linked to such hypotheses. Discussion focuses on utility of FBA procedures for developing and implementing effective interventions for youth with EBD.