Abstract
Contingent positive reinforcement has proven more effective in treating escape-maintained problem behavior than contingent negative reinforcement, particularly when problem behavior continues to produce escape. However, this research has overwhelmingly used distributed-reinforcement arrangements, where tasks and reinforcer access are interspersed throughout the work period. An alternative to interspersal involves allowing the individual to accumulate and then receive a larger quantity of reinforcement once work requirements are completed; this is known as an accumulated-reinforcement arrangement. The current study examined the efficacy of, and preference for positive (food) and negative (break) reinforcement contingencies delivered in accumulated and distributed arrangements in the treatment of escape-maintained problem behavior. In Experiment 1, accumulated break was preferred for 4 of 5 participants and accumulated food was preferred for 3 of 5. In Experiment 2, accumulated break was similarly effective to distributed break for 3 of 5 participants and accumulated and distributed food were equally effective for 4 participants.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1566-1585 |
Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | Journal of applied behavior analysis |
Volume | 54 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 1 2021 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- accumulated reinforcement
- distributed reinforcement
- escape-maintained problem behavior
- negative reinforcement
- positive reinforcement
- schedule thinning
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Philosophy
- Sociology and Political Science
- Applied Psychology