Multiple reinforcement contingencies to reduce aggression, self‐injury and dysfunctional verbal behaviors in an adult who is sensory impaired

Abstract

Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) and differential reinforcement of low rates of responding (DRL) have been effective techniques in reducing maladaptive behaviors in therapeutic settings. Reported studies of these reinforcement-based procedures indicate that they are usually implemented in isolation, targeting only a single behavior or class of behaviors. In this study, multiple DRO and DRL contingencies were utilized concurrently in reducing two distinct classes of behaviors with a 26 year-old blind man with moderate retardation. One class of behaviors included socially inappropriate verbalizations, while the other included aggressive, self-injurious and environmentally destructive behaviors. Distinct contingencies were established according to the functions of the targeted behaviors and their severity and separate schedules of reinforcement were derived from baseline frequencies. Over a period of 20 months, the differential reinforcement interventions resulted in rapid reduction of behaviors in both classes to near-zero rates and frequencies were maintained at this low level while contingency schedules were systematically lengthened. Collateral effects are discussed including performance in functional academics and participation in community integration activities.

A laboratory comparison of two variations of differential‐reinforcement‐of‐low‐rate procedures

“…The second DRL variation defines a contingency between responding and a reinforcer following the elapse of a predetermined interval as long as the overall rate within that interval is below a predetermined criterion (Catania, 2013). In some cases, the absence of responding is considered an acceptable dimension, and the characteristic features of maintaining low rates during the DRL schedule are ignored (e.g., Bird, Hepburn, Rhodes, & Moniz, 1991;Hagopian, Kuhn, & Strother, 2009;Shaw & Simms, 2009;Turner, Green, & Braunling-McMorrow, 1990).…”

Case study: The combined use of imipramine and behavior modification to reduce aggression in an adult male diagnosed as having autistic disorder

“…Previous research suggests that relative to other behavior decelerative procedures, DRA-0 is one of the least aversive and most widely accepted behavioral treatment modalities (Allison & Silverstein,199 1). Furthermore, DRA-0 has been shown in previous research to be an effective and socially valid strategy for increasing appropriate behaviors (Bird, Hepburn, Rhodes, & Moniz, 1991;Saloviita, 1988;Tarnowski, Rasnake, Mulick, & Kelly, 1989;Vollmer, Iwata, Smith, & Rodgers, 1992).…”