Relias notes 13

Question 2

What does maintenance mean in the context of behavior?

Answer 2

A person keeps engaging in a behavior after the intervention has STOPPED

Maintenance occurs when someone still uses a skill they learned, even without direct reinforcement.

Question 3

Why is maintenance important?

Answer 3

• Promotes independence
• Leads to long-term success
• Reduces ongoing instruction
• Supports generalization

Maintenance helps people keep using skills that improve their lives.

Question 4

If a skill is not maintained, RBTs may need to ______ it again and again.

Answer 4

RETEACH

If a skill is not maintained, it’s unlikely the learner will use it in natural settings.

Question 5

What is the difference between acquisition and maintenance?

Answer 5

• Acquisition: Learning new BEHAVIORS
• Maintenance: CONTINUES to use a skill after formal teaching has stopped

Understanding this difference helps avoid too much prompting for mastered skills.

Question 6

What are some strategies for maintaining skills?

Answer 6

• Reinforcement-based methods
• Teaching techniques
• FADING supports
• Monitoring progress
• TROUBLESHOOTING common challenges

These strategies support the maintenance of learned skills.

Question 7

What does intermittent reinforcement mean?

Answer 7

The learner no longer receives REINFORCEMENT every time they perform the behavior

This method helps maintain a skill or behavior over time.

Question 8

What are variable schedules of reinforcement?

Answer 8

A type of INTERMITTENT reinforcement used to maintain a skill or behavior

Example: Reinforcement occurs after varying numbers of correct responses.

Question 9

What is natural reinforcement?

Answer 9

When a behavior produces a MEANINGFUL or rewarding outcome in the learner’s everyday environment

Embedding reinforcement into the natural environment helps learners see the value in the behavior.

Question 10

What is overlearning and why is it important?

Answer 10

Practicing skills beyond mastery, especially for safety and life skills

Example: A child practices brushing their teeth every night for 4 more weeks after mastery.

Question 11

What is a maintenance probe?

Answer 11

A brief, planned check to see if a previously learned skill is still performed correctly without prompts or REINFORCEMENT

Example: An RBT observes a learner during their evening routine.

Question 12

What does fading support in skill maintenance?

Answer 12

Promotes long-term success, supports MAINTENANCE, and prevents prompt DEPENDENCY

Fading helps clients perform skills independently.

Question 13

What is prompt fading?

Answer 13

Reducing the level of help given during instruction

Methods include most-to-least prompting, least-to-most prompting, and time delay.

Question 14

What is reinforcement fading?

Answer 14

Moving from a DENSE reinforcement schedule to a lean or more NATURAL schedule

Example: A client initially reinforced every time they ask for a break may later receive reinforcement on a variable ratio schedule.

Question 15

What is instructional fading?

Answer 15

Gradually moving from structured teaching settings to natural environments

This helps maintain skills in real-life situations.

Question 16

What should you do if a skill begins to fade?

Answer 16

Briefly return to ACQUISITION-level interventions

This may involve using prompts, increasing reinforcement, or providing more practice opportunities.

Question 17

Always report maintenance ______ to your supervising BCBA.

Answer 17

CONCERNS

They can analyze data and recommend changes to help the learner maintain the skill.