www.BehaviorAdvisor.com

1
www.BehaviorAdvisor.com

• This slide show is part of a workshop given by
  Tom McIntyre (Dr. Mac)

2
Differential Reinforcement Procedures

• While youre waiting Your Do Now Activity
• Consider the 3 words found at the top of this
  screen. Based on the title, what do you think
  that these procedures are designed to accomplish?
  
• What is their intent and goal?
• List some behaviors (displayed by students),
  witnessed or hearsay, that you believe are
  totally unacceptable in the classroom.
• Which behaviors do you find to be irritating or
  disruptive, but would tolerate if they were
  displayed infrequently.

3
So what aredifferential reinforcement
procedures?
4
The DRs

• Reduction of inappropriate behaviors through the
  use of structured administration of
  reinforcement.
• DRO - Differential Reinforcement of Other
  behaviors
• DRI - Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible
  behavior
• DRA - Differential Reinforcement of Alternative
  behaviors
• DRL - Differential Reinforcement of Low rates of
  behavior

5
Differential Reinforcementof Other Behaviors
(DRO)

• The student is reinforced for withholding the
  inappropriate behavior for a designated period
  of time.
• Only zero displays of the inappropriate
  behavior during the time period are reinforced.
• DRO is omission training a student is
  reinforced for the absence (rather than the
  presence) of behavior.
• Pure DRO requires that reinforcement be given
  no matter what other behaviors are displayed.
• (So focus on the behavior of most concern)

6
Steps for Applying DRO

• An interval of time is figured from observation
  data.
• Reinforcement is given if the undesirable
  behavior was NOT emitted during the designated
  time interval.
• (Usually) Any display of the inappropriate
  behavior results in a re-setting of the clock
  (start another time interval)

7
Interresponse Time (IRT)

• IRT is the average amount of time that elapses
  between displays of the inappropriate behavior.
• Calculating IRT is a way to determine an
  appropriate interval length for DRO (and DRL)
  schedules.
• This time period (or one slightly higher or
  lower) becomes the initial interval during which
  the student must withhold the inappropriate
  behavior (in order to obtain reinforcement).

8
An Example of Calculating IRT
Cliff uses inappropriate physical contact
(push, poke, slap) toward other students an
average of 9 times during the 6 hour school day.
A DRO intervention is planned. To determine the
IRT during which Cliff must refrain from
negative touch in order to obtain
reinforcement, 9 (events) is divided into 6
(hours). Cliff uses negative physicality toward
peers 1½ times per hour. Next, his teacher
divided 1½ into 60 (minutes in an hour). The
number obtained, 40, indicates the average number
of minutes that pass between physical contacts.
An interval length of 40 minutes is set as the
amount of time that he must refrain from
physically contacting peers in order to obtain
reinforcement. Data will continue to be
collected, and new IRTs calculated.
9
Calculating the DRO Interval

• of time intervals (minutes, periods, hours,
  days)
• of times the behavior was witnessed
• Carmen cursed 6 times in 30 minutes.
• 30 5 But 5 what?
• 6
• 5 of the time intervals that we were using in our
  calculation (minutes)

10
Another

• During a 20 minute observation, Kanae displayed 8
  short scripting incidents. What is your
  reinforcement interval?
• 20 ?
• 8
• 2½ But 2½ what?
• Minutes.
• Kanae must go 150 seconds with NO displays of
  scripting in order to receive reinforcement.

11
Considerations When Using DRO?

• Because reinforcement is delivered if a student
  does NOT perform the identified behavior,
  teachers run the risk of positively reinforcing
  a variety of other inappropriate
  behavior. (Instead, use DRI or DRA)
• Teachers might create a behavioral vacuum for
  students who do not possess a large repertoire
  of appropriate behaviors because DRO reinforces
  the absence of behavior.
• The selected reinforcer must be at least as
  powerful as the one obtained when performing the
  inappropriate behavior.

12
Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible
Behavior (DRI)

• Select reinforce a particular behavior that is
  topographically incompatible with the
  inappropriate one.
• The two behaviors cannot coexist.
• The promotion of the new behavior interferes
  with, and thus cancels out the undesirable
  action.
• The new behavior prevents the old one from
  surfacing.

13
DRI

• Student puts head down sleeps Reinforce
  staying awake (perhaps have him/her stand
  and/or walk with a clipboard).
• The incompatible behavior is often the opposite
  action.
• Considerations Cautions?
• FBA should have been conducted to determine
  reason for the behavior
• The student must be able to perform the
  replacement behavior
• Start with a CRF schedule of reinforcement fade
  it out

14
Groups What is incompatible with?

• Being out of ones seat?
• Having ones hand in mouth?
• Cutting class?
• Making rude remarks when given a direction by a
  teacher?
• Hitting oneself on side of head with fist when
  presented with a task?
• Can be a frequency action (rude remarks) OR a
  duration action (Hand in mouth)

15
Differential Reinforcement of Alternative
Behavior (DRA)

• Closely related to DRI A preferred alternative
  to the undesirable behavior is reinforced
• Nicki tends to push others when the class lines
  up. He will now be the official tissue box
  carrier at the end of the line, ready to run
  forward is someone sneezes.
• Unlike DRI, the replacement response is
  dissimilar, but not topographically incompatible
  with the present behavior.
• Examples?

16
DRA

• When the student displays the inappropriate
  behavior, the teacher redirects the student to
  the chosen alternative behavior.
• Note Sometimes DRA is used in conjunction with
  a mild punisher if the student continues to
  exhibit the inappropriate behavior.
• To replace the undesirable action, the
  alternative must?
• Meet the same need/function/purpose, and/or
• Bring the same amount of benefits

17
Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates of
Behavior (DRL)

• Unlike DRO (which requires zero responding), DRL
  allows inappropriate behavior IF it is at a more
  tolerable level.
• Reinforcement is provided for a lessened display
  of the undesirable behavior during a designated
  period of time.
• So, my errant scholar
• How low can you go?

18
DRL

• Procedure
• Conduct baseline recording to determine average
  number of displays.
• Decide whether to have penalty clauses for
  failure to reach the goal.
• Decide whether to have incentive clauses for
  performance that is better than the goal that was
  set.
• Meet with the student set a goal of N-1 (or a
  greater reduction).
• Reinforce the student for meeting the goal.
• Benefits?
• Good for building self-control over strong
  non-violent habits
• Disadvantages?
• Slow process which is not appropriate for
  violent behaviors.
• For which behaviors might DRL be appropriate?
  (next slide)

19
DRL

• Curse words
• Tearing up work
• Number of staples used to secure document.
• Work mistakes
• Talk outs
• Burps / Animal noises
• Just about anything, except behaviors that are?
• Violent towards others
• You sent only 2 kids to the hospital today.
• Self-destructive
• You met your goal of trying to commit suicide
  only 4 times this week.

20
Guidelines for Using DRL

• Baseline must be recorded in order to determine
  the average number of responses per time period.
  This average occurrence may then serve as the
  initial DRL limit.
• Huh? Reasonably spaced criteria should be
  established when using successively decreasing
  DRL limits to avoid too frequent reinforcement
  and ratio strain, and so that the program can be
  faded out.
• Decide whether or not to provide feedback to the
  student(s) concerning the cumulative number of
  responses up to that point in the session.

21
Differential Reinforcement Comparisons
Considerations

• Both DRI DRA strengthen appropriate behaviors.
  DRO DRL do not.
• DRL is the only DR intervention that allows
  reinforcement even though the inappropriate
  behavior surfaces.
• DRI, DRA, DRL typically result in gradual
  behavior changes.
• DRO is probably the intervention of choice when
  the behavior is dangerous to self or others it
  most often results in rapid reduction in behavior.

22
Clickers Which DR procedure?

• For each day that no negative physical contact
  occurs, the class earns hot cocoa granola bar
  bites during first period the next day.
• (The students are also engaging in anger
  management training.)
• DRA
• DRI
• DRL
• DRO

23
Clickers Which DR procedure?

• A students behavior that is targeted for
  reduction is complaining, hesitating, or
  refusing when given a direction from the
  teacher. The student will receive 1 point
  (toward the 10 needed to visit the classroom
  store) for compliance within 10 seconds of the
  command.
• DRA
• DRI
• DRL
• DRO

24
Clickers Which DR procedure?

• A distractible student is reinforced for each 4
  minute period that s/he was on task (engaged in
  the assigned task or attentive to the speaker).
• DRA
• DRI
• DRL
• DRO

25
Clickers Which DR procedure?

• A student is tardy an average of 18 of her 30
  weekly classes. She is always on-time to
  specials (art, PE, etc.) science and math
  classes.
• For each week that she attends 20 of her 30
  classes, she will receive a Magic school bus
  video to take home for the weekend (borrowed from
  the childrens room in the local library).
• This plan is the positively stated version of
• DRA
• DRI
• DRL
• DRO

26
Clickers Which DR procedure?

• While still receiving a demerit for calling out
  an answer, the student is reinforced for each
  time s/he raises his/her hand with lips closed.
• DRA
• DRI
• DRL
• DRO

27
Clickers Which DR procedure?

• The student will be reinforced for saying
  Please before saying Give me the.
• DRA
• DRI
• DRL
• DRO

28
Another DRO IRT calculation

• On the first day of school, Plato cries out I
  want my mommy! 75 times in 15 minutes.
• 15 1 12 seconds (1/5 of a minute)
• 75 5
• 10 second reinforcement intervals
• 12 second reinforcement intervals
• 15 second reinforcement intervals
• 5 minute reinforcement intervals
• 5 hour reinforcement intervals

29
DR intervention steps

• Select the target behavior to be changed
• Select the appropriate differential strategy
• DRI DRA Select the positive behavior
  replacement.
• Identify reinforcers to motivate reward success
• Determine the criteria for success (What
  level of end-outcome is acceptable?)
• Begin the intervention
• Continue to collect data
• Evaluate the results of the intervention,
  calculate new intervals.

30
Groups Which DRs might be appropriate?And how
would they be used?
DRO DRI DRA DRL

• Nail biting
• Activating the fire alarm
• Homework rarely submitted
• Slams door to room upon entry
• Self-derogatory remarks
• (Im stupid.)
• Difficulty keeping hands off of things people
• Thumb sucking
• Incessant talking
• Frequent bullying
• Endless complaining

31

• END

32

• Developed by Tom McIntyre, Ph.D.
• www.BehaviorAdvisor.com
• Thomas.mcintyre_at_hunter.cuny.edu

33
Activity

• Video of student engaging in action. Record
  figure interval.
• Watch again