G-14 Use reinforcement procedures to weaken behavior(e.g., DRA, FCT, DRO, DRL, NCR)

• DRD or Differential Reinforcement of Diminishing Rates of behavior involves reinforcing behaviors where a sequence of responses repeated below a set of gradually diminishing preset rates is reinforced. The rate of resonding is lower than that of previos resonponding. #DRD #decreasing.
• guideline for DRI/DRA procedure, the replacement bx should be within the client's repertoire, requrie little effort, and has many opportunities to respond and be rewarded. 

 

DRA(differential reinforcement of alternative behavior)

• DRA is the most effective as it focuses on reinforcing a FUNCTIONAL alternative to the problem bx, so it is directly related to the MOs. DRA provides a balance when there is reduction of a problem bx by allowing the need(or function) to still be met by engaging in a positive behavior-minimizing negative effects.
• DRA is the differential reinforcement of alternative behavior, it is where there is an alternative behavior than the target problem bx that is reinforced to serve as a replacement for the problem bx. The alternative bx satisfies the function of the problem bx. The target problem bx is put on extinction(reinforcement is withheld)

 

NCR(noncontingent reinforcement)

• If a schedule of reinforcement is response-independent, then it does not matter if a behavior occurs or not. So, this schedule would be delivered non-contingently on a fixed time or variable time schedule(FT or VT)
• When using NCR and DRO together, the BCBA should provide reinforcement on a delayed schedule IF the target problem bx occurs then the reinforcer is delivered later. In NCR, reinforcers are delivered regardless of behaviors, however when adding a DRO procedure, this implements a condition where if the target problem bx occurs the NCR schedule is adjusted. Otherwise, it's business as usual.
• An NCR should start with a dense schedule of reinforcement-continuous reinforcement-to reinforce every single instance of behavior to establish the contingency. It should later be systematically thinned out. 
• if a schedule of reinforcement is response-independent, then it does not matter if a behavior occurs or not. So this schedule would be delivered non-contingetly on a fixed time or variable time schedule.
• NCR does not teach alternative behaviors, it doesn't involve teaching at all- it is not contingent upon any response- so this is a disadvantage to NCR. It is limited in its effects as it does not train behavior, but can be used in conjuction with other procedures. 
• To effectively establish a time schedule of reinforcement for NCR, the BCBA must use the formula to determine NCR schedule using the average IRT for the target bx to establish a time-based schedule. The schedule should be set lower than the average IRT to be effective in providing NCR.
• NCR does not use trials to be delivered, it is not contingent upon a response, which are usually representative of trials-so it is irrelevant. Constant, proportional and session-to-session time changes are methods to thin NCR.
• NCR should be used in conjuction with a treatment package/or used within a trestment package. It's shouldn't always be used on its own.
• NCR is beneficial because the reinforcement is provided regularly, freely and frequently before a prblem bx occurs. This helps decrease problem bx because it decreases the MO for reinforcement of the problem bx. We can use it to increase the bx we want to see and is not contingent upon any particular bx.
• A variable time schedule is a schedule that puts an average length of time between instances of NCR, the client never knows exactly when the reinforcer is coming but on average the client will receive the reinforcer within a similar time frame. a VT % min. would be the client would, an average, receive the reinforcer around every 5 minutes, so it could be a few minutes before or after the 5 minutes mark for each instance, but the average of the total time would be 5 minutes. 

 

FCT(Functional Communication Training)

• FCT uses differential reinforcement of behavior, it's used very commonly with differential reinforcement of alternative behavior-in this case communicating instead of engaging in a problem behavior. 
• The most commonly used is DRA.
• Producing undesired effects due to extinction, client's emitting high rates of undesired bx, and reinforcement often being difficult for the caretaker to implement in different times and setting are all disadvantages of FCT.
• FCT uses prompts internally to increase target behaviors and eventually fades them out to become more natural responses and not contrived. 
• In functional communication training the communication response hase to be functional and individualized for each client.
• FCT does not alter the EO. FCT plans for and takes advantage of the EO in the moment. It uses the EO to its advantage to pair a lower effort response with reinforcement to compete with a higher effort maladaptive response. #DRA
• FCT does not use extinction and can cause undesired effects(which is not an advantage)
• FCT is a way we teach mand training-functionally teaching communication to ask for items or activities.

 

DRI(Differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior)

• reinfoceing an alternative behavior that is imcompatible with the problem behavior
• example, reinforcing a client for asking for the item in someone's hand instead of the biting them 
• for example, for the target problem bx of chewing on a shirt collar is incompatible with the replacement of chewing a chew tube, so the chew tube would be used instead of the shirt- they can't effectively do both.

 

DRO(Differential reinforcement of other behavior)

• Subtype of a DRO : FI-DRO, Momentary DRO, Interval DRO.
• reinforcement is provided with the absence of the target behavior.
• You want to reinforce any other behaviors than the problem bx, to make it less desirable to engage in as other behaviors are more rewarding.
• is the easiest to use because it requries little effort to reinforce behaviors that are NOT the problem behavior. Any thime the individual is engaging in something other than the problem bx, you provide reinforcement. Easy peasy.
• This fails the dead man's test as a dead man can do anything other than the problem bx-the dead man won't be engaging in the problem bx much less any bx, this is too broad of a definition to apply to this situation.

 

DRH

• When intervening on dangeroud SIB, DRH should NOT be used because this is not a behavior we  want to reinforce at high rates- this is something we want to eliminate
• reinforcement is provided when the target behavior is at or above a predetermined rate
• DRH aims to increase desirable behaviors which decrease the amount of time engaging in inappropriate behaviors.

 

DRL(defferential reinforcement of law rates of behavior)

• involves delivering the reinforcer when the behavior occurs at a lower rate than previouly. DRL procedures aim to directly decrease the rate of problem behaviors
• reinforcement being provided when the target behavior occurs less than a predetermined criteria during a specified time range.

 

DNRI(defferential negative reinforcement of incompatible behaviors)

• involve escape as reinforcers. 
• for example, teaching someone to ask for a break instead of running away when the client desires to escape demands is incompatible with elopement and teaches a functional alternative.