Reinforcement

 

REINFORCEMENT 

The concept of reinforcement is one of the most important and utilized principles in applied behavior analysis. The basic definition of reinforcement goes as follows: When a type of behavior (R) is followed by reinforcement (S^R) then an increased frequency of the behavior will follow.

 

There are three qualifications for understanding if the effects of reinforcement will occur.

1.      The timing between the end of a given response and the onset of the stimulus change.

2.      The relationship between the stimulus conditions present when the response was emitted.

3.      The role of motivation.

 

Types of Reinforcement

Reinforcement means that a behavior will happen more often in the future when something is added or taken away immediately after a behavior.

 

Positive reinforcement occurs when a response is followed immediately by the presentation of a stimulus change (reinforcement) that leads to an increase of the future occurrences of that response.

·       Something is added (or given) to the individual after a behavior occurs and that behavior occurs more often in the future

·       Ex. A child receives candy (reinforcing stimulus) from his parents after cleaning up his room (behavior). The child then cleans his room more often in the future.

 

Negative reinforcement is a contingency in which the occurrence of a response produces the reduction which then leads to an increase of future occurrences of that response.

·       Something is removed (or taken away) from the individual after a behavior occurs. Making that behavior more likely to occur in the future.

·       Ex. An individual presses a button (behavior) that turns off a loud alarm (aversive stimulus). That individual presses that button each time the loud alarm goes off.

 

Ultimately, the main purpose of reinforcement is to increase a target behavior. Positive reinforcement is adding something positive to increase a behavior/response.  While negative reinforcement is the taking away of something negative in order to also increase the behavior/response.

 

Reference: Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2019). Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd Edition). Hoboken, NJ: Pearson Education.

Written by Morgan Valentine, Student Analyst

 

As explored in last week’s post, all behaviors exist to serve a specific functional purpose.  In order to determine the best course of action for addressing a maladaptive behavior, it is important to first  understand its roots.

The “whys” of  behavior lie in the following functions:

1.       Escape/Avoidance

2.       Attention

3.       Access to tangible

4.       Sensory (Automatically Reinforcement)

Escape and avoidance behaviors occur in the face of undesirable activities or stimuli. For example, a child may run away from the table when he/ she is asked to complete their homework.

Attention seeking behaviors occur with the intention of gaining some form of attention, whether it be positive or negative. For example, a child may make loud noises in class to humor their peers.

A child may display maladaptive behaviors in order to gain access to a tangible/preferred stimuli. For example, a child may scream and cry in order to obtain an iPad or a snack.

Finally, sensory motivated behaviors exist fulfill some sort of stimulatory function. For example, a child may twirl in circles because they enjoy the spinning sensation. Another child may chew on  inedible items because they enjoy the stimulation on their gums

One behavior can serve a completely different function between different children. In order to successfully identify the function of a specific behavior for each unique ray of sunshine, the collection and analysis of data is key!

Written by: Stella Lee, BA

References 

Hanley, G.P., Iwata, B.A. and McCord, B.E. (2003), FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM BEHAVIOR: A REVIEW. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36: 147-185. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2003.36-147

 

Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence

 

Antecedents – Behaviors – Consequences

ABC’S of Behavior

 

Why do challenging or maladaptive behaviors occur?

 

The study of the science of Applied Behavior Analysis demonstrates that behavior is in relation to its environment and that environment has an effect on behaviors. All behaviors display a function (purpose) as to why each behavior occurs. The ABC’S of behavior refer to the antecedent-behavior-consequence model of behavior and this model of behavior is used to help practitioners and families understand why a behavior is occurring and how to change or modify specific behaviors.

 

There are four main functions or reasons as to why challenging behaviors occur:

 

1.     Escape/avoidance (avoids instruction/undesirable situation)

2.     Social attention (positive or negative – attention or interaction from others)

3.     To gain access to desired items/activities (Ex: Receiving cookie or outside play time)

4.     To gain access to sensory input (Ex: Child enjoys the feeling of swinging, twirling hair).

 

Each instance of behavior has three components, which include:

 

1.     Antecedent – What happens prior to or before a specific behavior occurs? (Events that lead to the child’s behavior – factors that occur in an individual’s environment)

2.     Behavior- What does this behavior look like? What did the child do? (Observable behaviors such as “shaking one’s head – responses or anything that the child does)

3.     Consequence – What happened after the behavior occurred? What did you do? (Anything that immediately follows as a result of the behavior).

Example of the ABC’S of Behavior:

1.     Parent tells child to complete homework assignment before receiving a cookie (antecedent).

2.     Child completes homework assignment (behavior). 

3.     Mother provides child with cookie (consequence).

Through direct observation, data collection can be implemented to determine the antecedent, behavior and consequences of each behavior. Once the data is analyzed, the purpose of the behavior can be determined and then an effective intervention that will address the function of the behavior can be implemented to decrease the challenging or maladaptive behavior.

ABA Enhancement can support you in determining the function of each behavior and how to develop an effective intervention to help reduce problematic/challenging behaviors and begin to plan behavior support strategies.

Reference: Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2019). Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd Edition). Hoboken, NJ: Pearson Education.

Written by: Adriana Ellico, MA, Student Analyst 

Consistency

Success doesn’t happen overnight.

ABA does not start and within a week or two weeks or a month we see instant progress. Success is something we see over time. Success is something we can measure over consistent implementation of ABA therapy. And with consistency, comes parent involvement.

Our highly skilled team of ABA professional can be successful overtime with consistent ABA therapy, however without the support and follow through of the parents, success will be minimal at best. As the parents and leaders of our clinical team, we encourage you to utilize all the skills ABA professionals can teach you and your family and enhance the success of your child’s program. Consistency will always be the key!

Active Parent

As we all are aware, ABA therapy will not show progress, or as effective progress without the parent involvement piece. Here at ABA Enhancement, we realize being a parent is HARD. Being a parent with a child with special needs is HARD. Being a parent who works and has a child with special needs is HARD. Life as a parent is just that, its HARD. So, we know being as involved as we WANT to be in ABA therapy is just that....it's HARD!

It's the one time we as parents feel like we can get things done, that someone else is helping our child and they are doing a great job, why can't we just take a break to do the laundry, put the dishes away or get dinner started just this once without having to deal with a behavior?

We at ABA Enhancement realize just this and want to make sure that although it is all HARD, we are there to support you in being as actively involved as you can be by providing parent consultation and training outside of the typical session times. When can you find the time in the day, when your day is already so impacted and though the behaviors can make life seem so HARD and the days so long, there is still time to sit and breath and focus on parent training. A time for you to sit and absorb the information we have to provide you and the information you wish you could receive, but the days are just HARD.

Let us at ABA Enhancement support you in finding the time to learn, to absorb and to appreciate the amount of knowledge we have to train you in!