differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA)
- procedure in which undesirable is no longer reinforced (extinction) and desirable alternative is reinforced
- undesirable decrease and desirable increase
- alternative not necessarily to undesirable one, may be arbitrary
differential negative reinforcement of alternative behaviors
- DNRA
- decrease problem behaviors that are maintained by neg reinforcement and to increase appropriate behaviors to replace problem behaviors
- define desirable
- define undesirable
- identify reinforcer
- reinforce desirable immediately and consistently
- eliminate reinforcement for undesirable behaviors
- use intermittent reinforcement to maintain target
- program for generlization
Vollmer et al
- 4 yr old with developmental disabilities
- during training session he was aggressive (target aberrant behavior)
- functional analysis revealed escape from training provided neg reinforcement
- program: aggression ignored, compliance reinforced with 30-sec break from training, DNRA
- results: inappropriate behaviors decreased, appropriate increased
how to use DRA
- select alternative behavior that is equal or less effort than problem, in learner’s repertoire, likely to be reinforced in natural enviro (define desirable)
- select reinforcement that is potent - use same reinforcer that maintains problem behavior, delivered immediately and consistently then switch from continuous to intermittent schedule of reinforcement
- program for generalization
when to use DRA
- desirable behavior must be occurring at least occasionally to be able to reinforce it
- with shaping and prompting to initially evoke behavior then DRA can strengthen and maintain
identifying the reinforcer
- use reinforcer that is currently maintaining the undesirable behavior
- observe and note which activities or interests they pursue
- ask questions
- try out different stimuli and determine which ones the person prefers (preference assessment)
- make each potential reinforcer contingent on operant response
preference assessment
- single stimulus
- paired stimulus
- multiple stimulus
identifies number of potential reinforcers, presents them and records which ones they approach/manipulate/consume
reinforcer assessment
determine that item did function as reinforcer, deliver contingent on behavior and show behavior increased
single stimulus assessment
each potential reinforcer is presented to determine whether individual approaches stimulus or not
- after they calculate percentages of times that the individual approached each stimulus to indicate which stimuli are reinforcers
paired stimulus assessment
- forced choice or paired choice
two potential reinforcer is presented and research records which stimulus individual approaches
multiple stimulus assessment
array of potential reinforcers and records which approaches first
- stimulus is then removed from array and researcher records which is chosen next and it continues
- array presented number of times to identify order in which stimuli are chosen
- multiple stimulus without replacement: stimuli chosen first are likely to be stronger reinforcer than the stimuli chosen list
differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior
- variation of DRA
procedure in which an undesirable behavior is extinguished, behavior is extinguished to do at the same time as undesirable behavior is reinforced - alternative is physically incompatible with problem so the two cannot occur at same time
Donnelly and Olczak
- 38 with severe intellectual disability
- target - pica for cig butts
- program: DRI, measured latency
- results: pica latency increased, pica often did not occur, some generalization after treatment ended
functional communication training
subtype of DRA, alternative behavior is a communication response
- also called differential reinforcement of communication (DRC)
- subtype called reinforcement of functionally equivalent behavior: acceptable behavior receives same consequences as an undesirable behavior
- person with problem learns to make communication response that is functionally equivalent to problem behavior
research on DRA
- Leitenberg: DRA procedures for increasing appropriate behaviors and decreasing sibling conflict - decreased conflict in siblings and increased appropriate behavior
- Allen and Stokes: increase cooperative behavior and decrease disruptive behavior during dental treatment-
Durand and Carr
Tim with moderate intellectual impairment
- easily frustrated, showed challenging behaviors
- functional analysis showed that escape from training was reinforcing
- program: FCT- trainers taught to solicit attention and assistance on tasks, trainers used verbal and modeling prompts
- results: challenging behaviors extinguished, he asked for assistance without prompts, he generalized to new situations and was maintained over time
differential reinforcement of other behavior
- procedure in which an undesirable behavior undergoes extinction, reinforcer is delivered after period of time in which behavior does not occur
- reinforcer is contingent on absence of problem behavior
- other is not the same as alternate
- also called differential reinforcement of zero responding or differential reinforcement of the omission of behavior
- applied to: fingernail biting, thumb sucking, disruptive and self-injurious behavior
when is DRO most effective?
- when reinforcer for problem behavior can be identified and eliminated
- when length of DRO interval is based on baseline rate of behavior
Lindberg et al.
- Bridget with profound intellectual disability
- self-injurious behaviors
- functional analysis determine reinforcer was social attention
- program: received brief social attention at the end of interval without SIBs, interval varied randomly around mean
- results: SIBs declined to nearly zero
DRO variations
- whole-interval
- momentary
- time periods may be fixed or variable
- based on permanent-product data
whole-interval DRO
reinforcer delivered if problem behavior is absent during entire interval
- behavior is absent throughout entire interval
- reinforcer is delivered
- term DRO refers to whole-interval DRO
momentary DRO
reinforcer delivered if problem behavior is absent at the end of the interval
- benefit: target behavior does not have to be observed throughout the entire interval
how to use DRO
- perform functional assessment to determine the reinforcer for problem behavior
- choose reinforcement for DRO
- choose length of initial DRO time interval- based on baseline data, more frequent the shorter the interval
- extinguish problem behavior, reinforce omission intervals
- if problem behavior occurs before end of interval, reset time interval
- gradually increase interval length
DRO considerations
- extinction may lead to extinction-induced aggression, also undesirable
- learners with limited behavioral repertoire, DRO create “behavior vacuum” which may end up being filled with undesirable target behavior
- DRA and DRI may be suited to these situations
