Behavior Modification Program

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Chapter 22:
Differential Reinforcement

Definition of Differential Reinforcement

  • Reinforcing one response class
  • When dealing with reducing problem behavior, this involves
  • Reinforcing a behavior other than problem behavior
  • Reinforcing a reduced rate of problem behavior
  • Withholding reinforcement for another

Diagram of Differential Reinforcement

SD

“Play by your self while I wash the dishes”

Response

Child plays with toys

SR+

Praise delivered

Playing with toys occurs more often in the future when the individual has been deprived of attention for periods of time

EO

Deprived of one-on-one attention for a period of time

Response

Child tantrums

SO

Praise withheld

Tantrums occur less often in the future when the individual has been deprived of attention for periods of time

DRI

  • DRI: Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior
  • Reinforce a behavior that cannot occur with problem behavior
  • Withhold reinforcement for instances of problem behavior

DRA

  • DRA: Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior
  • Reinforce occurrences of desirable alternative to problem behavior but that is not necessarily incompatible
  • Reinforcement is withheld for problem behavior

A note on terminology…

  • Sometimes when reinforcer is a negative reinforcer:
  • DNRI
  • Differential negative reinforcement of incompatible behavior
  • DNRA
  • Differential negative reinforcement of alternative behavior

Guidelines for Implementing DRI/DRA

  • Select incompatible/alternative behavior
  • Already exists in repertoire
  • Requires equal or less effort than problem behavior
  • Emitted at a rate that provides sufficient opportunities for reinforcement
  • Likely to be reinforced in natural environment

Guidelines for Implementing DRI/DRA

  • Select potent reinforcers that can be controlled
  • Identify via stimulus preference assessment
  • Identify via functional behavior assessment
  • Use same consequence as is maintaining problem behavior for appropriate/incompatible behavior

Guidelines for Implementing DRI/DRA

  • Reinforce incompatible/alternative behavior immediately and consistently
  • Withhold reinforcement for problem behavior
  • Some “mistakes” may be tolerable
  • Combine with other procedures

DRO

  • Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior
  • Deliver reinforcer whenever the problem behavior has not occurred for a specific time
  • “Reinforcement for not responding”

Forms of DRO

  • Fixed-interval DRO (FI-DRO)
  • Omission requirement is applied at the end of successive time intervals of equal duration
  • To apply:
  • Establish interval
  • Deliver reinforcement at end of interval if problem behavior didn’t occur during the interval
  • If problem behavior occurs, reset interval

Forms of DRO

  • Variable-interval DRO (VI-DRO)
  • Omission requirement is applied at the end of successive time intervals of variable and unpredictable durations
  • To apply:
  • Establish variable interval schedule
  • Deliver reinforcement at end of interval if problem behavior didn’t occur during the interval
  • If problem behavior occurs, reset interval

Forms of DRO

  • Fixed-momentary DRO (FM-DRO) and Variable-momentary DRO (VM-DRO)
  • Omission requirement is applied only at the end of successive time intervals of fixed or variable durations (contingency not in place during interval)
  • To apply:
  • Establish interval
  • Deliver reinforcement at end of interval if problem behavior didn’t occur at the end of the interval

What type of DRO to use?

  • Interval more widely used than momentary
  • Interval more effective for more suppressing problem behavior
  • Momentary may be most useful for maintaining reduced levels of problem behavior

Guidelines for Using DRO

  • Recognize limitations
  • Reinforcement provided if absence of target problem behavior.
  • If another, nontargeted problem behavior occurs, it is reinforced.
  • May need to shorten interval
  • May need to include other problem behaviors in definition

Guidelines for Using DRO

  • Recognize limitations
  • With Momentary DROs, reinforcement is delivered if problem behavior is not occurring at end of interval, even if it occurred throughout the majority of the interval
  • Change to interval DRO
  • Shorten interval

Guidelines for Using DRO

  • Set initial DRO intervals that assure frequent reinforcement
  • Calculate mean baseline interresponse time (IRT)
  • Set interval that is equal to or slightly less than mean IRT
  • Do not inadvertently reinforce other undesirable behaviors
  • Make rule: must have absence of target problem behavior and other inappropriate behaviors

Guidelines for Using DRO

  • Gradually increase the DRO interval
  • Three options:
  • Increase by constant duration of time
  • Increase intervals proportionately
  • Increase based on learner’s performance
  • Extend to other settings and times of day
  • Combine with other procedures

DRL

  • Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates of Responding
  • Use to decrease the frequency of the occurrence of a behavior, but not eliminate it all together

DRL

  • Full-session DRL
  • Reinforcement is delivered at the end of a session if during the entire session, the target behavior occurred equal to or fewer times than a predetermined criterion

DRL

  • Interval DRL
  • Divide the total session into a series of equal intervals of time
  • Provide reinforcement at the end of each interval in which the number of occurrences of target behavior is equal to or below predetermined criterion

DRL

  • Spaced-responding DRL
  • Deliver reinforcer following an occurrence of a behavior that is separated by at least a minimum amount of time from a previous behavior
  • In other words, reinforcement is contingent on increasingly longer IRTs

Guidelines for Using DRL

  • Recognize limitations
  • DRL is slow and does not reduce a behavior quickly

Guidelines for Using DRL

  • Choose most appropriate DRL procedure
  • Spaced responding is the only DRL procedure that delivers reinforcement immediately following response and maintains lower rates
  • Use full-session and interval DRO when it is okay to have either no or low rates of target behavior
  • Spaced responding provides higher rates of reinforcement

Guidelines for Using DRL

  • Use baseline data to guide selection of initial response or IRT limits
  • Set at mean baseline or slightly lower
  • Gradually thin the DRL schedule
  • Full-session DRL: set new criterion based on learner’s current performance
  • Interval DRL: gradually decrease number of responses per interval
  • Spaced-responding: adjust IRT criterion based on performance

Guidelines for Using DRL

  • Provide informational feedback to the learner
  • Enhance effectiveness by helping learner monitor performance