Latency
Latency is the time from prompt to the start of the behavior. To take latency
data start the stopwatch when the prompt is given and stop the stopwatch when the
behavior starts. You might want to take latency data when there is a delay between the prompt and when the behavior occurs.
Partial Interval
Recording the presence or absence of a behavior during a brief interval of time. Intervals are marked as “+” if the target behavior occurred at any time during
the interval. Intervals are marked as “-” if the target behavior did not occur during the entire interval. Partial Interval data collection overestimates the occurrence of behavior. Examples of behaviors that are appropriate for partial interval recording are vocal stereotypy, hand flapping, biting nails.
Whole Interval
Recording the presence or absence of a behavior during the whole interval. Intervals are marked as “+” if the target behavior occurred during the entire
interval. Intervals are marked as “-” if the target behavior stopped at any time during the interval. Whole Interval data collection underestimates the occurrence of behavior.Examples of behaviors that are appropriate for whole interval recording are cooperative play, social engagement, on task behavior.
Momentary Time Sampling
Sampling Recording the presence or absence of a behavior at the very end of
an interval. Intervals are marked as “+” if the target behavior occurred at the end of the interval. Intervals are marked as “-” when the target behavior does not occur at the end of
the interval.
How to Summarize Different Types of Data
1.) Frequency is summarized as rate over sessions
2.) Duration is summarized as total duration over session
3.) IRT is summarized as an average.
4.) Latency is summarized as average latency to response
5.) Interval data is summarized as percent intervals with occurrence.
Multiple Stimulus Preference Assessment with Replacement
The therapist presents multiple items at a time and records which item the client chooses to interact with. Allow the client to interact with the item for 30 seconds. Once an item is chosen the therapist does not place it back into the array.
Multiple Stimulus Preference Assessment without Replacement
The therapist presents multiple items at a time and records which item the client chooses to interact with. Allow the client to interact with the item for 30 seconds. Once an item is chosen the therapist does not place it back into the array.
Negative Reinforcement
Negative reinforcement is removing something from the environment to increase the future probability of the behavior occurring. For example, you will put your seat belt on to cease the annoying seat belt warning noise in your car, client cries when he sees math homework so the homework is removed and the crying stops, but in the future the crying continues when the client sees homework
Discrimination Training
This procedure involves reinforcing one behavior and extinguishing the behavior (not reinforcing) in the presence of other stimuli. For example: a client would receive a cookie if they said red in the presence of a red car; however, they would not receive a cookie if they said red in the presence of a green car. A client would receive a high five if they said Mom when their mom walked in the room
and would not receive a high five if they said Mom when their dad walked into the room.
Discrimination Stimuli (DS)
A stimulus in the presence of which a particular response will be reinforced. Example, if a client would receive a cookie if they said red in the presence of a red car, the red car is the SD. A client would receive a high five if they said Mom when their mom walked in the room, mom is the SD.
S-Delta
A stimulus in the presence of which a particular response will not be reinforced.
For example, a client would receive a cookie if they said red in the presence of a red car; however, they would not receive a cookie if they said red in the presence of a green car, the green car would be an S-Delta.
Stimulus Generalization
Occurs when stimuli that share similar physical characteristics with the controlling stimulus evoke the same behavior as the controlling stimulus. For example, a child calling all dogs Bella because the child’s dog is named Bella or a baby calling both Mom and Dad dada.
The behavior that occurs in the presence of one stimulus also occurs in the presence of another stimulus. For example,
teaching a learner to say apple when they see a picture of an apple, then the
learner says apple when they see a real apple. A learner learns to identify
their sibling’s emotions and then begins to identify friend’s emotions
Stimulus Discrimination
Occurs when new stimuli ― similar or not similar ― to the controlling stimulus do not evoke the same response as the controlling stimulus. For example, a client would receive a cookie if they said red in the presence of a red car;
however, they would not receive a cookie if they said red in the presence of a green car.
Access to Something in the Environment
4 functions of behaviors
Sometimes this is broken into 2 functions:
attention and tangibles. In simple terms, a person is engaging in behavior to gain
something positive in the environment. This can be anything: attention, cookies, screen time, toys, activities, a place, etc. Anything you can see or do in the environment could be the reason a person is engaging in behavior.
Escaping Something in the Body
4 functions of behaviors
This is also known as pain attenuation. This refers to
engaging in behavior to escape something aversive in the body. Taking a Tylenol™ when
you have a headache is an example of pain attenuation. Scratching an itch is another
example―you relieve discomfort in your body by scratching. When a person is engaging
in pain attenuation is it important that the person sees a physician so that all medical
issues are taken care of.
Establishing Operations
This refers to instances when something is made more valuable by deprivation―if you are hungry you are more likely to engage in food-seeking
behavior. The hunger or being deprived of food is the establishing operation. You can
increase the value of a reinforcer by depriving a client of the reinforcer prior to the start of therapy. For example, if you use an iPad as a reinforcer, have the caregivers of the
client not allow the client to have the iPad 24 hours prior to therapy starting.
Abolishing Operation
This is when something is made less valuable by satiation. If you
are full you are less likely to engage in food-seeking behavior. The feeling of fullness is the abolishing operation. You can decrease the value of a reinforcer, which was maintaining maladaptive behavior by satiating a client of the reinforcer. For example, if the client cries for attention from mom, you can have mom continually provide attention. This will decrease the value of attention to the client and decrease the behavior of crying.
Non-Contingent Reinforcement
This is providing reinforcement to a client regardless of behavior. This will act as an abolishing operation on the reinforcer. For example, providing a client 5 minutes of attention every hour, this will make is less likely for the client to engage in maladaptive behaviors for attention. Providing a client 5 minutes of screen time every hour, will make is less likely for the client to engage in maladaptive behaviors for screen time. Providing a client a 5 minute break every hour, will make it less likely for the client to engage in maladaptive behaviors to escape something aversive.
Demand Fading
This is a technique where you increase the demand over time; used to decrease behaviors with the function of escape. For example, first presenting a small amount vegetable and increasing it over time or first presenting one math problem and increasing the amount of problems over time. This is a version of allowing escape. The client is escaping the higher demand for a period of time.
Task Modification
This technique is changing how the client does work. Also used for behavior with the function of escape. Making it more preferred by the client. Examples: using a favorite character for counting, allowing the learner to use a favorite pencil, and identifying real objects rather than pictures of objects.
High Probability Sequence/Behavior Momentum
Providing 3-4 demands with high
compliance (you are sure the learner can and will do them), and presenting the demand with low compliance at the end of the sequence. This must do this quickly; keeping the demands simple. Due to compliance in the first part of the sequence, the learner “rolls” into compliance in the last part of the sequence. Examples: bite of pasta, bite of pasta, bite of pasta, bite of vegetables, several easy math problems followed by a hard math problem, and putting on several pieces of clothing which are easy, and then putting on the harder piece of clothing
Implement Differential Reinforcement Procedures
Differential reinforcement procedures are when a therapist reinforces replacement
behaviors. A replacement behavior is a prosocial behavior that can take the place of a maladaptive behavior. There are a couple types of replacement behaviors
Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior (DRI)
Reinforcing a behavior that cannot physically be engaged in at the same time as the maladaptive behavior. For example, reinforcing hugging instead of hitting, reinforcing hands in pocket instead of pinching, or reinforcing singing instead of yelling.
Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA)
This is reinforcing a behavior
that meets the same function of the maladaptive behavior. For example, if the client is tantruming for attention you could reinforce asking to play a game. Both tantruming and asking to play a game will gain attention. If a client is running away to escape homework, you could reinforce asking for a break. Both running away and asking for a break will allow the client to escape the homework.
Differential Reinforcing Lower Rates of Behavior (DRL)
This is typically reserved for
behaviors that are socially acceptable but may occur too often. Using this procedure,
reinforcement is delivered if a behavior occurs below a predetermined criterion. For example, James uses socially appropriate behavior to greet peers but does so up to ten times in one class period. His teacher decides to use DRL to lower the rate of his behavior, but she does not want to eliminate it completely. She decides to deliver reinforcement (e.g., computer time) to James if he greets peers five or fewer times during the class period. If he greets peers more than five times, he does not receive reinforcement
Tangible Extinction
Do not provide access to the item during the behavior. This type of extinction is very easy to do, just keep item out of sight. Stay strong, behaviors can escalate when client knows they will not get item. For example, when a child cries for a candy bar in the supermarket do not give item to child.
Escape Extinction
Do not allow the client to escape. Physical prompt the client into compliance. Your supervisor will give you directions on how to physical prompt. Typically you’ll either prompt through a small portion of the demand and then reinforce heavily, or you continue until the learner does the demand without the behavior.
Example: Clean your room, child tantrums, therapist physical prompts child to pick up
the toys on the floor until they stop the tantrum.