Fixed‐time Schedules Attenuate Extinction‐induced Phenomena in the Treatment of Severe Aberrant Behavior

Tr, Vollmer; Pr, Progar; Js, Lalli; Camp, Carole M. Van; Bj, Sierp; Cs, Wright; Nastasi, Jessica A.; Kj, Eisenschink

doi:10.1901/jaba.1998.31-529

Cited by 77 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…A second implication for treatment is highlighted by Jimmy's results. Given the continuation of responding during FT schedules, the addition of brief differential reinforcement of other behavior (e.g., Vollmer et al, 1998) might be warranted. Adding this component would reduce the probability of adventitious reinforcement.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fixed‐time Schedule Effects as a Function of Baseline Reinforcement Rate

Ringdahl

Vollmer

Borrero

et al. 2001

J of App Behav Analysis

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Using an arbitrary response, we evaluated fixed-time (FT) schedules that were either similar or dissimilar to a baseline (response-dependent) reinforcement schedule and extinction. Results suggested that both FT schedules and extinction resulted in decreased responding. However, FT schedules were more effective in reducing response rates if the FT reinforcer rate was dissimilar to baseline reinforcer rates. Possible reasons for this difference were evaluated with data analysis methods designed to identify adventitious response-reinforcer relations.DESCRIPTORS: noncontingent reinforcement, fixed-time schedules, developmental disabilities A time-based schedule is defined as a schedule during which the reinforcer is delivered response independently on either a periodical (fixed-time, FT) or an aperiodical (variable-time, VT) schedule (Marr & Zeiler, 1974). Because time-based schedules disrupt response-reinforcer relations, the effects can be similar to extinction (Catania, 1969). That is, reinforcement depends on a contingency, and when FT or VT is implemented following a reinforcement baseline, a previously existing contingency is disrupted. However, procedurally, time-based schedules This study was conducted as part of the first author's dissertation at Louisiana State University. The research was conducted during an internship at Children's Seashore House in Philadelphia. We thank Carrie Wright and Christina Vorndran for their assistance with data collection.Address correspondence to Joel E. Ringdahl, University Hospital School, 100 Hawkins Dr. Room 349, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1011 (E-mail: joel-ringdahl@ uiowa.edu).are distinguished from extinction in that the reinforcer is not withheld.Further analysis of time-based schedules is needed for at least two reasons. First, factors responsible for the relation between timebased schedules and response reduction have not been clearly identified. For example, some laboratory research has shown that extinction is more effective than time-based schedules in reducing response rates (e.g., Lattal, 1972;Rescorla & Skucy, 1969). Conversely, there is evidence that under some circumstances FT schedules reduce response rates more effectively than extinction . In a study with nonhumans, Rescorla and Skucy found both VT and extinction resulted in decreased response rates, but extinction resulted in more immediate and larger decreases in behavior. Similarly, Lattal showed that FT and VT schedules following fixed-interval (FI) and variable-interval (VI) reinforcement sched-

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Once stable responding was observed across sessions, the experimental conditions were conducted. This FR 1 baseline condition is analogous to the baseline conditions described in many treatment studies, in which each occurrence of a target behavior results in reinforcer delivery (e.g., Vollmer et al, 1998).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fixed‐time Schedule Effects as a Function of Baseline Reinforcement Rate

Ringdahl

Vollmer

Borrero

et al. 2001

J of App Behav Analysis

Self Cite

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“…In addition, Vollmer et al (1998) compared the effects of extinction with and without NCR and found that extinction, when implemented alone, was associated with bursts of behavior for 2 of the 3 participants, whereas extinction with NCR was not.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…To isolate the enhancing effects of competing stimuli, it would be necessary to evaluate the effects of competing stimuli with extinction relative to a condition in which extinction was implemented alone, just as Vollmer et al (1998) evaluated the enhancing effects of NCR by comparing NCR plus extinction with extinction alone. In the current investigation, we extended the results of Hanley et al and replicated the results of Vollmer et al by comparing the effects of (a) extinction implemented alone, (b) extinction implemented with noncontingent delivery of the reinforcer that maintained destructive behavior (attention), and (c) extinction implemented with noncontingent delivery of competing stimuli (those identified through the competing stimulus assessment).…”

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confidence: 99%

Enhancing the Effects of Extinction on Attention‐maintained Behavior Through Noncontingent Delivery of Attention or Stimuli Identified via a Competing Stimulus Assessment

Fisher

DeLeon

Rodriguez-Catter

et al. 2004

J of App Behav Analysis

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Recent research has shown that the noncontingent delivery of competing stimuli can effectively reduce rates of destructive behavior maintained by social-positive reinforcement, even when the contingency for destructive behavior remains intact. It may be useful, therefore, to have a systematic means for predicting which reinforcers do and do not compete successfully with the reinforcer that is maintaining destructive behavior. In the present study, we conducted a brief competing stimulus assessment in which noncontingent access to a variety of tangible stimuli (one toy per trial) was superimposed on a fixed-ratio 1 schedule of attention for destructive behavior for individuals whose behavior was found to be reinforced by attention during a functional analysis. Tangible stimuli that resulted in the lowest rates of destructive behavior and highest percentages of engagement during the competing stimulus assessment were subsequently used in a noncontingent tangible items plus extinction treatment package and were compared to noncontingent attention plus extinction and extinction alone. Results indicated that both treatments resulted in greater reductions in the target behavior than did extinction alone and suggested that the competing stimulus assessment may be helpful in predicting stimuli that can enhance the effects of extinction when noncontingent attention is unavailable.

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“…However, because it is reasonable to conclude that using the term NCR has served a useful purpose, some authors may be inclined to continue its use because of convention. Although I now use schedule descriptors in my own work (e.g., Vollmer et al, 1998), I am not entirely content using them. -time (event), for example, does not capture the generality of the procedures, nor does it capture an essential property of the treatment: The noncontingent event bears a known functional relationship to the target behavior.…”

Section: Journal Of Applied Behavior Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%