DIFFERENTIAL

REINFORCEMENT
 DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT
OF ALTERNATIVE BEHAVIOR
• A behavioral procedure used to increase the frequency of a desirable behavior and to
decrease the frequency of an undesirable behavior.
 HOW IT WORKS
• The desirable behavior is reinforced upon observation.
• Results in an increase in the future probability of the desirable behavior
• The undesirable behavior is not reinforced.
 WHEN TO USE A DRA?
• Before implementing for the particular DRA, one must ensure it is the correct procedure on
the intervention.
 DETERMINE
• Is there a desirable behavior to be increased?
• Does it serve the same function and topography of the undesirable behavior?
• Is this behavior occurring?
• Do you have access to a reinforcer that can be delivered after the occurrence of the desirable
behavior?
 HOW TO USE DRA
• Step 1: Define the desirable behavior.
• Operationally defining the desirable behavior
• The definition should be objective, referring only to observable characteristics of behavior and
translating any inferential terms into more objective ones.
• The definition should be clear in that it should be comprehendible to lay man as well as
professionals.
• The definition should be complete, delineating the “boundaries” of what is to be included as an
instance of the response and what is to be excluded, thereby leaving little judgment.
• Inappropriate definition: “In seat.”
• Appropriate definition: “Student must have buttocks in contact with sear of assigned chair. Feet must
both be on the floor in front of the chair, all four legs of the chair must be on the floor, and shoulders
must make less than a 90 angle with desk.”
 STEP 2
• Define Undesirable Behavior
• As with the definition of the desirable behavior, one must operationally define the undesirable
behavior, as well, in order to ensure no reinforcement is given upon observation, and that
appropriate data can be taken.
 STEP 3
• Identify the reinforcer
• Preference Assessments
• There are several basic ways to accomplish a stimulus preference assessment. These techniques share a common
method in that they rely on determining if a child will approach or use an object when it is presented. They
include:
• presenting one object to the student at a time
• presenting two objects to the student at a time (forced choice format)
• and presenting multiple objects to the student at a time
• These different formats provide different kinds of information about the student's preferences.
• The single item presentation allows us to tell whether that item by itself without comparison to other items is
valuable.
• The forced choice format allows us to make multiple comparisons of which items are preferred in relation to
others and to eventually identify a hierarchy of preferences.
• The multiple object format allows us to determine which of many items available at one time will be valuable
 STEP 4
• Functional Analysis
The functional assessment of behavior is designed to help you develop a hypothesis regarding the
relationship between the ABCs of behavior. It is used to identify the environment (antecedents) in
which the behaviors occur and how the outcomes of the behavior function to maintain it
(consequences).
• Through functional assessment of behavior we can begin to investigate the behavior and what is
reinforcing it so we can ultimately design an intervention to decrease the behavior if the behavior
was undesirable.
• Iwata created the most well known functional analysis, often used in treatment
• Ignore
• Attention
• Access
• Escape
• Each function provides an MO for the next…BRILLIANT!
 TOKEN BOARD
• Token boards have proved to be easy to implement and have the advantage of reducing
satiation of reinforcers.
 ADVANTAGES
• Can be given immediately
• Paired with many different backup reinforcers
• Can be administered to large diverse groups
• Tokens are not originally reinforcing (conditioned reinforcers)
 SELECTING TOKENS
• Can take many forms, but should be:
• Durable
• Easy to handle
• Difficult to steal
• Difficult to counterfeit
 MANAGING
• Ensure backup reinforcers are on hand
• Clearly describe criteria for earning and exchanging tokens
• Award tokens as immediately as possible
• Use reinforcers such as praise with tokens
• Keep accurate records
• Provide bonuses for high-level performance
• Train those administering tokens
 HOW TO BEGIN
• Make the client successful
• On a 10 token board, begin the token board with 9 tokens.
• This will enable quick reinforcement, strengthening the likelihood and goal of earning all possible
tokens to receive reinforcement.
• Hold onto Maximum reinforcer for completed token board by client.
• To begin small, offer client reinforcers ranked #4 and #5, working way up as client moves up on token
board. When client has successfully paired tokens with “good things”, and must earn all 10 tokens,
provide maximum reinforcer in accordance to preference assessment.
 HAVE TOKENS EFFECTIVELY BEEN
PAIRED?
• “Drop test”
 SCHEDULE OF REINFORCEMENT
• Begin on a continuous schedule in beginning
• To strengthen the desirable behavior
• Fade to intermittent schedule
• Least resistance to extinction