Chapter 32 Behavioral Principles, Assessment, and Therapy Chapter 32 slides in Children with Disabilities, Seventh Edition, Online Companion Materials. Copyright © 2013 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Operant Learning Principles and Practices Terms for approaches: applied behavior analysis (ABA) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyCx-OLzgJw Behavior modification, positive behavioral support https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdIMUhSC7yw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqQ7icUA-sY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzWNiFs-pAA Chapter 32 slides in Children with Disabilities, Seventh Edition, Online Companion Materials. Copyright © 2013 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Operant Learning Principles and Practices (continued) Reinforcement—consequences that follow behavior result in increase in that behavior’s future strength Extinction—reinforcement withheld for previously reinforced response, resulting in decrease in response’s future occurrence Punishment—consequences delivered contingent on behavior result in decreasing future occurrence of behavior Motivation—dependent on motivating operations that produce a change in value of a consequence and corresponding change in strength of behavior influenced by consequence Chapter 32 slides in Children with Disabilities, Seventh Edition, Online Companion Materials. Copyright © 2013 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Behavioral Assessment of Problem Behaviors Functional assessment—identify antecedent events and consequences that serve as motivational variables for problem behavior Indirect assessment: questionnaires and rating scales completed by caregivers; derived score suggests behavioral function Quick and efficient, but not recommended as sole source for assessment Descriptive analysis: quantitative, direct observation under naturalistic settings; conditional probability and antecedents/consequences determined Time consuming and may not identify variables that are maintaining problem behavior Chapter 32 slides in Children with Disabilities, Seventh Edition, Online Companion Materials. Copyright © 2013 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Behavioral Assessment of Problem Behaviors (continued) Functional (experimental) analysis: exposure to variety of antecedent conditions and consequences; patterns of differential responding observed over time Most powerful demonstration of relationship between antecedent and consequent events on problem behaviors Chapter 32 slides in Children with Disabilities, Seventh Edition, Online Companion Materials. Copyright © 2013 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional Assessment and Treatment Development Hypothesis-based treatment development resulting in increased numbers of evidence-based treatment options and individualized treatments: Social-positive reinforcement—terminating the reinforcer Extinction usually combined with differential reinforcement procedures Social-negative reinforcement—preventing escape Aversive event is continued and not terminated Automatic reinforcement—behavior produces internal consequences that reinforce/maintain problem behavior Treatment requires attenuation or elimination of source of reinforcement Chapter 32 slides in Children with Disabilities, Seventh Edition, Online Companion Materials. Copyright © 2013 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Preference Assessment and Reinforcer Evaluation In the past, stimuli used as reinforcers were arbitrarily chosen, resulting in ineffective interventions Since the early 1980s, a growing body of research has examined systematic identification of stimuli that may serve as reinforcers Preference assessments expose individuals to different stimuli to measure whether they respond to it High-preference stimuli may be potential reinforcers Chapter 32 slides in Children with Disabilities, Seventh Edition, Online Companion Materials. Copyright © 2013 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Common Behavior Problems Research demonstrates that operant learning principles can be applied to treatment for routine child behavior problems such as Routine oppositional behavior Toileting Bedtime problems Common habit disorders Chapter 32 slides in Children with Disabilities, Seventh Edition, Online Companion Materials. Copyright © 2013 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Severe Behavior Problems Research suggests that severe problem behaviors have neurobiological mechanisms and learned component Learned component influences frequency and long-term disability; can be reduced through operant-learning-based approaches Children with severe behavior problems should be referred to properly trained and credentialed behavior analysts, psychologists, or educators Environmental contingencies that maintain problem behavior: Social-positive reinforcement Social-negative reinforcement Automatic reinforcement Chapter 32 slides in Children with Disabilities, Seventh Edition, Online Companion Materials. Copyright © 2013 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Viability of Extinction and Implications from Behavioral Economics Extinction not always possible in natural environments Not always practical to reinforce alternative behavior every time Behavioral economics: some behavior analysts applying economic concepts to treatment of problem behaviors Consumption of reinforcer declines more steeply when response requirements increase or when “substitute” commodities can be earned with less effort Implication: reinforcing alternative behavior with a reinforcer that is distinct from that maintaining the problem behavior may be more viable treatment option Chapter 32 slides in Children with Disabilities, Seventh Edition, Online Companion Materials. Copyright © 2013 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Practical Strategies for the Classroom Establishing routines and schedules—provides students with predictability and teaches them to tolerate waiting and transitions Examples: picture schedules, word schedules, checklists Arranging the classroom for maximum impact—space management and positioning of staff and students Examples: sitting near teacher, one-to-one work with staff, individual carrels Chapter 32 slides in Children with Disabilities, Seventh Edition, Online Companion Materials. Copyright © 2013 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Practical Strategies for the Classroom (continued) Providing instruction—teaching readiness skills such as remaining seated, attending to materials, and listening to instructions Examples: teach skills one at a time, various methods for delivery (written, verbal, recorded), instructional materials that address variables (e.g., motor abilities, sight limitations, hearing impairments), prompting Reinforcement—every classroom should have system for both individuals and group Examples: token boards/economies, sticker charts, edible and tangible reinforcers, classroom “stores,” extracurricular activities Chapter 32 slides in Children with Disabilities, Seventh Edition, Online Companion Materials. Copyright © 2013 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Behavioral Teaching Strategies Goals of effective teaching: learners perform newly acquired skills independently, with accuracy and fluency, in situations outside of training (generalization) Stimulus control is prerequisite and accumulates over time through repeated practice and appropriate reinforcement Tailoring instruction to student performance levels: mastery of a skill is attained through sequence of stages called learning/instructional hierarchy Each stage has Different training goal and performance measure (learning hierarchy) Associated set of teaching strategies (instructional hierarchy) Chapter 32 slides in Children with Disabilities, Seventh Edition, Online Companion Materials. Copyright © 2013 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.