RBT DAY 1 & 2 Information

Applied Behavior Analysis

the science in which tactics derived from the principles of behavior are applied systematically to improve socially significant behavior and experimentation is used to identify the variables responsible for the behavior change.

• provides the framework in which all instruction and teaching programs are derived.

• The information gained from functional assessments drives all behavior support planning and reinforcement schedules

How is ABA used at LittleStar?

through empirically validated interventions to decrease behavior negatively affecting someone’s life and to increase behavior that makes them more independent and happy.

Reinforcement

immediate consequence that increases the likelihood that the behavior will occur again.

REINFORCEMENT INCREASES BEHAVIOR

2 TYPES OF REINFORCEMENT

Positive and negative reinforcement

Positive reinforcement

the occurrence of a behavior is followed by the addition of something, which results in an increase of the behavior

EX)

Example: A child finishes their homework and receives praise from their parent.

Explanation: The praise is added to the environment after the child completes their homework, making it more likely they will complete homework in the future.

Other examples: A child earns a sticker for completing a task, a toy for good behavior, or a treat for practicing a skill.

Negative Reinforcement

The occurrence of a behavior is followed by the removal of something adverse, which results in an increase of the behavior

EX) A child completes their homework and is then allowed to turn off their alarm clock, which was previously set to wake them up at a specific time.

Explanation:

The alarm clock was an aversive stimulus, and by completing their homework, the child escapes from that stimulus.

Other examples: a teacher taking away homework because the class was so well behaved. The students avoid the unwanted stimulus (homework) by exhibiting a wanted behavior.

Types of Reinforcers

• edibles: food and Drink

• tangibles: car, action figures, books electronic toys, puzzles, etc

• Social: tickles, high 5s, peek a boo, piggyback rides, spins, priase

• activities: trampoline, bubbles, wagon rides, singing songs, watching movies, swinging

• breaks form work

• stickers/ tokens

Unconditioned Reinforcement

Primary or unlearned Reinforcement. the effectiveness of the reinforcer does NOT depend on a history of learning. Necessary for survival of the species

EX) Water warmth, food, shelter, sex

Conditioned Reinforcement

Secondary or learned. A stimulus change that functions as a reinforcer because of PRIOR PAIRING which one or more other reinforcers

ex) music, praise, tokens, money

4 Factors that impacts the effectiveness of Reinforcment

1. Immediacy of reinforcement 2. Consistency of reinforcement 3. Magnitude of reinforcement 4. Motivation of the individual

immediacy of reinforcement

how quickly reinforcement is provided for that behavior (i.e. within 1 second)

contingency of reinforcement

based on when reinforcement is provided (ie given after a correct independent response)

magnitude of reinforcement

response effect and reinforcement have to be somewhat equal

ex) if you go to get the mail, then you can have a Reeses (good)

VS if you go to work all week, then you can have a Reese’s instead of money.

Motivation

what the individual is currently motivated by

2 Terms for WHEN to Reinforce

continuous VS. Intermittent

Continuous

every time the behavior occurs, reinforcement is delivered

ex) Vending Machine

EX) after every bite of chicken, the child gets a skittle.

Interrmittent

the behavior does NOT access the identified reinforcement every time, resulting in some occurrences of a behavior access reinforcement and others do not

ex) Slots machine

ex) the child might have to eat around 5-10 bites of chicken to get a skittle

A Reinforcement Schedule…

…dictates when and how a behavior in reinfroced.

• must be strictly adhered to in order to be effective

Types of Reinforcement Schedules

• Fixed Ration (FR_)

• Fixed Interval (FI_ )

• Fixed Time (FT_)

• Variable Ration (RV_)

• Variable Interval (VR_)

• Variable Time (VT_)

Fixed Ratio

reinforcement is given after a SET NUMBER of responses

• ex) an FR3 schedule means that a reinforcement will be given after EVERY 3 responses

Fixed= set number

Ratio= Behavior ONLY

Fixed interval

Reinforcement immediately follows the first response after a set amount of time

• Ex) FI4 schedule means reinforcement will be given every 4 minutes

Fixed Time

Reinforcement is delivered after a specific amount of time.

ex) FT2 means reinforcement is delivered every 2 minutes, without regard to behavior

Time= time only

Variable Ratio

Reinforcement is given after an unpredictable number of responses

ex) a VR5 means reinforcement will be given around every 5 responses, ON AVERAGE

Variable interval

reinforcement immediately follows the frist response after an unpredictable amount of time

ex) VI3 means reinforcement wil be given around every 3 minutes on average

Variable Time

Reinforcement is delivered after an average amount of time

ex) VT8 reinforcement is delivered on average of 8 minutes (no behavior is needed)

Important reminders for Reinforcement Schedules

• delivered reinforcement immediately after the desired behavior

• only correct responses should earn reinforcement unless otherwise specified by BCBA

• pair delivery of tangible reinforcement with behavior specific praise. Ex) “Great Job! That is a truck!”

2 Motivating Operations

Establishing Operations - EO

abolishing operations - AO

Establishing Operations

• Value altering: increases the values of the reinforcer

• behavior altering: increase behaviors that have been reinforced by a consequence in the past

THINK DEPRIVATION

• we may be more interested in something that we haven’t had in a while (deprivation state)

  • EX) we would be very interested in a glass of water after working out in the hot sun without any.

Abolishing Operations

• Value altering: decreasing the value of the reinforcer

• behavior altering: decreasing behaivors that have been reinfroced by a consequence in the past

THINK SATIATION

• we may be less interested in something that we’ve just had, or that we get all the time (satiation state)

• EX) we would be less interested in a snack right after lunch

Behaviors that may indicate that motivation for a particular reinforcer is STRONG

• reaching for the item

• asking for the item

• complies with demands

• reluctance to terminate from item when reinforcement period ends

• increasing problem behavior when time is up

• actively engaging with reinforcer

Behaviors that may indicate that motivation for a particular reinforcer is WEAK

• ignores you or reinforcer

• does not follow demands

• push the item away/ or walks away

• tries to reach for a different item

• incraese in problem behavior

how to VARY reinforcers

• once you know some reinforcers of the child, vary and add to the list as often as possible

• have the child choose what they want to work for prior to the less- ADD FIRST AND THEN STATEMENTS

• varying reinfrocers help to keep the child motivated → more novel = more motivated

• encourage the child to try other things/expose them to new things (yellow block ex)

  • new activities can become reinforcers

  • we want to avoid satiation of existing reinforcers

REINFORCEMENT VS. BRIBERY

:timing and intention is EVERYTHING

• reinforcement increases appropriate behavior, while a bribe stops negative behavior in process

• we should NEVER bribe our clients into doing what we want them to do

  • when the expectations for earning reinfrocement are discussed in advance, while the patient is engaging in appropriate behavior, we are simply describing a reinfrocement contingency

    • ex) whiel the patient is sitting appropriately at the table waiting for the next work session, say “when you earn all 5 of your tokens, you can play in the motor room OR if you stay on green during group, we can watch a movie”

  • when a discussion about reinforcement is prompted by an episode of inappropriate behavior (with the intent to imporive the bahavior), a bride has occurred.

    • ex) when your patient is refusing to eat their lunch and you says, if you eat all of your lunch, you can have some candy, OR while your patient is being non-compliant, you say, are we still working for the motor room?

Differential reinforcement

act of providing more reinforcement for better, more independent, or more appropriate responding

when to deliver differential reinforcement

Rapport

:friendly, harmonious relationship: characterized by argeement, mutual understanding, or empahty

• makes communication possible & easier

• rapport refers to the quality of the relationship between 2 individuals

• rapport is established when social interaction is a conditioned reinforcer

Why is building Rapport often referred to as pairing?

Neutral Stimulus + Reinforcing Stimulus = Pairing

• you become a conditioned reinforcer over time

What does good rapport look like?

Why is building a strong rapport important?

Prerequisites to building rapport

What behaviors lead to strong rapport?

Maintaining Rapport

Sings that you’re paired well

How to evaluate your rapport