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DRO contingencies: an analysis of variable-momentary schedules
J S Lindberg1, B A Iwata, S Kahng
1University of Florida, Gainesville 32611, USA.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
|July 9, 1999
Summary
Variable-momentary differential reinforcement of other behavior (VM DRO) effectively reduced self-injurious behavior (SIB) in individuals with intellectual disabilities. VM DRO offers an alternative to traditional schedules, requiring less continuous monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Psychology
- Applied Behavior Analysis
Background:
- Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is often maintained by social-positive reinforcement.
- Traditional reinforcement schedules require continuous monitoring, which can be resource-intensive.
Observation:
- Functional analyses confirmed social-positive reinforcement maintained SIB in three participants with intellectual disabilities.
- Comparative analyses assessed fixed-interval (FI) DRO, variable-interval (VI) DRO, and variable-momentary (VM) DRO schedules.
Findings:
- All assessed DRO schedules (FI, VI, VM) effectively reduced SIB.
- Variable-momentary DRO (VM DRO) demonstrated effectiveness in reducing SIB, even when implemented in isolation.
Implications:
- VM DRO schedules present a viable alternative to traditional FI schedules for reducing SIB.
- The reduced monitoring requirement of VM DRO may increase reinforcement rates and treatment feasibility.