A translational comparison of contingency-based progressive delay procedures and their effects on contextually...

Area of Science:

• Behavioral psychology
• Applied behavior analysis

Background:

• Schedule thinning is crucial for maintaining treatment effects in problem behavior interventions.
• Limited research exists on effective schedule thinning strategies for sustained behavioral change.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of two response requirements for schedule thinning: differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) and differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO).
• To evaluate the impact of these thinning methods on both problem behavior and contextually appropriate behavior in a translational model.

Main Methods:

• A translational study using college students simulated a schedule thinning procedure.
• Participants were exposed to either DRA-based or DRO-based thinning of reinforcement.
• Response requirements for reinforcer delivery were assessed based on alternative or other behaviors.

Main Results:

• Tolerance to schedule thinning was observed across both DRA and DRO conditions, indicated by low rates of problem behavior.
• Higher rates of contextually appropriate behavior were observed during DRA-based thinning compared to DRO-based thinning.

Conclusions:

• Both DRA and DRO are viable methods for schedule thinning, demonstrating tolerance to reduced reinforcement.
• DRA may be more effective in promoting contextually appropriate behaviors during reinforcement thinning.