Topic: Antecedent interventions
Default interventions
Functionally-based Noncontingent Antecedent
Focus on modifying conditions or events that occur prior to problem behavior.
Involves manipulation or management of environmental events with the goal of reducing or eliminating problem behavior.
Default Interventions
Function-based Interventions
Effective for problem behaviors maintained by various sources of reinforcement.
These do not specifically target antecedents or variables preceding the problem behavior.
No need for knowledge of consequences maintaining the behavior.
Quick implementation without requiring functional behavior analysis.
1.1 Response restriction
1.2 Stimulus-enriched environment
1.3 Antecedent exercise
Methods: Restraint, protective equipment, mechanical devices.
Effectiveness: Works by reducing movement or preventing target responses; effective but intrusive.
Use in emergency situations only.
Personal restraint: Securing body parts in response to problem behavior.
Mechanical restraint: Devices such as straightjackets.
Protective equipment: Allows movement while preventing damage (e.g., padded helmets).
Advantages:
Can eliminate the problem behavior immediately.
Disadvantages:
Limits participation in appropriate activities.
No alternative behavior taught.
Potentially traumatic.
Providing liked items or activities non-contingently to prevent problem behaviors.
Effective for self-injurious and socially reinforced behaviors.
Mechanism of effectiveness: Offers alternative sources of reinforcement.
Advantages:
Simple and cost-effective.
Beneficial when the function of behavior is unclear.
Involves aerobic or strength training activities that are not contingent on problem behavior.
Effective for a variety of behavioral issues such as aggression and off-task behavior.
Mechanism: Alters motivation and the effectiveness of consequences maintaining problem behavior.
Disadvantages:
Temporary effects, lasting approximately two hours.
May not be feasible in all contexts.
Implement only if the operant function of problem behavior is understood.
Involves manipulating identified contingencies maintaining the behavior.
Non-contingent Reinforcement (NCR)
Stimulus Control Strategies
Targets motivating operations by presenting reinforcement non-contingently.
Effective for various behavioral issues, including self-injury and aggression.
Schedule adjustments to control problem behavior progression.
Child’s bizarre speech requiring attention:
Continuous attention initially faded over time while withholding attention during bizarre speech.
Involves discriminative stimuli indicating likely consequences for given behavior.
Develops to regulate behavior through differential consequences.
Examples: Warning signals associated with punishments, such as warning stickers on food items.
Improving generalization of treatment effects through intervention strategies.
Behavior coming under the control of discriminative stimuli leads to effective change without continuous reinforcement.
Aim to decrease motivation for problem behavior.
Signal different consequences for the behavior and physically prevent the behavior.
Target interventions to decrease negative reinforcement escape behaviors.
Alter context to reduce aversiveness of task demands.
Elimination of Aversive Stimulation
Fading in Aversive Stimuli
High-Probability (high-p) Sequence
Altering the Aversive Stimulus
Altering the Aversive Context
Adjusting features of a given task or altering the environment can decrease aversiveness and improve compliance.