BCP-DR, Punishment, Behavioral Strategies, and Assessment

Differential Reinforcement

a strategy that involves reinforcing a desired. behavior while withholding reinforcement for an undesired one

extinction

a procedure that works to decrease an unwanted behavior by removing the reinforcement that was previously maintaining it

How extinction works:

1. identify the function

2. withhold reinforcement

3. teach alternative behaviors

what does the use of extinction have to be accompanied by?

teaching a way for the client to still gain access or get away from a stimulus/activity

extinction burst

when extinction is used, often a rise in frequency, duration and/or intensity of the behavior will occur. New behaviors (or old ones) may also emerge (or reemerge)

important notice for extinction

extinction may not be appropriate for certain behaviors because of the extinction burst. Response blocking may need to be included and/or more antecedent interventions

antecedent intervention

proactive strategies that modify the environment before an undesirable behavior occurs to make that behavior less likely to occur. These interventions work by changing events or stimuli that precede a behavior, to prevent challenging actions and encourage positive ones

noncontingent reinformcement

(NCR) a strategy that provides reinforcers on a set schedule, regardless of the individual’s behavior, to decrease problematic behaviors

choices

giving individuals the opportunity to select from a variety of options during therapy, which can include activities, items, or the order of tasks. This includes reinforcement, locations, and even the work task itself

activities schedules/visual schedules

Sequences of visuals that represent a series of tasks or activities. It serves as a visual prompt to increase independence, structure, and predictability

environmental manipulation

The intentional change of people, places, and things to influence behavior. This involves altering the environment before challenging behavior occurs

high probability targets

a technique where a series of easy, preferred tasks are presented in rapid succession to build “behavioral momentum” before a more difficult or less preferred task is requested

functional communication training

(FCT) an intervention that reduces problem behaviors by teaching individuals a new, appropriate way to communicate their needs

token system

a system of exchange (like money is for most adults). This begins with one token, delivered for compliance to a task or engaging in appropriate behavior, then exchange for preferred item (candy)

generalization

the ability of an individual to apply a learned behavior or skill in different situations, with different people, and over time

stimulus generalization

The ability to respond appropriately to different but similar stimuli. For example a child who learns to identify a red ball should also be able to identify a red car or red apple

response generalization

The ability to use different responses to achieve the same outcome. For example, a child who learns to request a cookie using a picture card could also request it verbally or through sign language

self-monitoring

the process where an individual observes and records their own behaviors, thoughts, or feelings to increase self-awareness and manage their actions. It is a foundational skill for self-management and self-control

academic settings

a student might use a checklist to track instances of staying on task during a lesson

social situations

a person could use a journal to note their feelings and the specific social triggers that led to an emotional response, helping them develop coping strategies

daily living skills

an individual might track how many times they successfully complete a daily chore, reinforcing their progress toward a goal

punishment

any consequence that decreases the future likelihood of the behavior that preceded it

positive punishment

adding an aversive stimulus like a reprimandne

negative punishment

removing a preferred stimulus, like taking away screen time

problems with punishment

1. punishment does not teach an alternative desirable behavior for the person to engage

2. a person will habituate to the punishment

3. the person delivered the punisher will become an aversive stimulus through conditioning

4. the setting in which the punishment typically occurs will also acquire aversive properties

response cost

a procedure whereby something the child prefers is removed following the occurrence of a problem behavior

Time-out

not recommended for older children and isis difficult to implement without providing attention. This procedure should only be used for attention-maintained behavior

behavioral crisis

when a client is showing increasing signs of escalation

crisis intervention

a set of evidence-based strategies used to manage and de-escalate challenging behaviors that pose a risk to the safety of the individual or others