This page of our RBT study guide covers all the behavior reduction topics outlined in the BACB task list. It’s an essential topic from the RBT exam perspective and contributes 12 questions in the final test. Here, we’ll study behavior reduction in detail.
Significance of behavior reduction in ABA: Behavior reduction is crucial in ABA as it aims to decrease unwanted behaviors that harm themselves or others or interfere with their learning ability. By employing scientifically validated techniques, such as extinction and differential reinforcement, ABA practitioners can modify challenging behaviors to support learning and growth.
This guide will discuss everything mentioned in the RBT task list so that you can score high on the final RBT exam.
Identify Essential Components of a Written Behavior Reduction Plan
There should be a written behavior reduction plan, also known as a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), for clients with behavior reduction goals. The BCBA creates a customized behavior intervention plan, and RBTs and other members implement it with the learner.
It is required for clients who exhibit harmful behaviors such as aggression, self-injurious behaviors (SIB), property damage, spitting, or screaming. These behaviors should be referred to as “target behaviors,” “maladaptive,” or “inappropriate.”
The purpose of a behavior reduction plan is to clearly outline strategies and interventions that all team members must follow to prevent and respond to interfering behaviors.
A behavior reduction plan must include the following things:
- The behaviors targeted for reduction: The behaviors targeted for reduction are those interfering with daily functioning or posing harm, such as aggression, self-injury, property destruction, or disruptive vocalizations. These behaviors are identified through assessment and addressed systematically within behavior reduction plans tailored to individual needs.
- Who executes the behavior reduction plan: The plan must include the details of the responsible person for the targeted behavior reduction. For example, if parents, school teachers, or caregivers are responsible for implementing the plan, their roles must be clearly outlined.
- The behavior’s function: If a client exhibits a particular behavior, there must be a cause for it. In ABA, it is known as a function of behavior. The research shows four main categories of behavior function, which should be clearly outlined in the behavior intervention plan (BIP).
- Preventative strategies: A behavior intervention plan (BIP) must include a preventative strategy to reduce the chances of target behavior from occurring. It is also known as antecedent strategies or manipulation strategies.
- Consequent strategies: A behavior reduction plan must include the actions taken after when the target behavior occurs. Examples include ignoring the behavior, prompting a mand, redirecting to another activity, removing a token, or adjusting environmental factors.
- Crisis interventions: If a target behavior may cause harm to the client or others, a crisis plan should be clearly outlined in the behavior reduction plan.
Describe Common Functions of Behavior
In ABA, the function of behavior refers to why individuals behave a certain way. For instance, a child may throw tantrums for attention, avoid a task, request a desired item, or engage in sensory activities.
Understanding the function of behavior is crucial for designing effective intervention plans. This knowledge enables BCBA to develop targeted strategies to address the underlying reasons for behaviors, leading to more successful behavior management and intervention outcomes.
There are four main categories of behavior function:
- Automatic Reinforcement: It occurs when a behavior is reinforced by the inherent consequences it produces without the involvement of others. Examples include tapping a pen for its sound, rocking in a chair for the soothing motion, tapping your feet on the ground, or biting your nails.
- Social Attention: This involves seeking or avoiding interaction with others. For example, a child might act out to gain attention from caregivers or peers.
- Escape/Avoidance: This behavior aims to get away from or avoid unpleasant situations. For instance, a child might refuse homework to escape the task.
- Seeking Access to Tangibles or Activities: Some behaviors aim to gain access to desired items or activities. For example, a child might ask for a toy or activity they enjoy.
Implement Interventions Based on Modification of Antecedents, Such as Motivating Operations And Discriminative Stimuli
Antecedents are what happens right before a behavior. We can change behaviors by changing the environment. For example, remove junk food from your home if you want to eat healthier.
By only keeping healthy options, like ordering groceries online, you increase the chance of sticking to your goal. This is modifying antecedents for behavior change.
Some of the common antecedents modification can be done for a client:
- Visual supports/schedules: Providing visual aids to help structure their environment and routine.
- High-probability request sequence: Presenting easy tasks before more challenging ones to increase compliance.
- Priming: Discussing upcoming events, setting expectations, and sharing relevant information in advance.
- Offering choices: Allowing clients to make decisions within structured options to increase engagement.
- Non-contingent reinforcement: Providing rewards regardless of behavior to promote positive interactions.
- Timers: Using timers to indicate the duration of activities, promoting time management skills and transitions.
Motivating operations (MOs) change how much we value something, making it more or less rewarding. They can be further divided into two categories: establishing operations (EOs) that increase the effectiveness of a reinforcer and abolishing operations (AOs) that decrease it.
A discriminative stimulus (SD) serves as a cue, indicating that a specific behavior will be rewarded. It signals to individuals that reinforcement is available upon performing the behavior. For instance, a restroom sign serves as an SD, signaling the availability of a bathroom and prompting individuals to engage in the appropriate behavior of using the facilities.
Implement Differential Reinforcement Procedures
Differential reinforcement means rewarding desired behaviors and not rewarding undesired ones. For instance, we might praise a child for using words (reinforcing speech) and ignore tantrums (not reinforcing crying). This helps promote the behaviors we want to see more of.
There are two most common types of differential reinforcement procedures:
- Differential reinforcement of other behaviors (DRO): A behavior modification technique provides reinforcement when an individual refrains from engaging in problem behavior for a set duration. In contrast, no reinforcement is given for the problem behavior itself. For instance, if a client screams, no reinforcement is given, but when they engage in any other behavior, reinforcement is provided at intervals, like every X minutes.
- Differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors (DRA): DRA involves reinforcing a behavior that is an alternative to the inappropriate behavior. An excellent example is a child who demands chocolate from his parents. Each time the child makes a demand, his parents would ignore him.
Implement Extinction Procedures
Extinction in ABA refers to withholding reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior, leading to decreased occurrence. For example, if a child no longer receives attention for tantrums, the tantrums may decrease over time. Extinction reduces unwanted behaviors by removing the reinforcement that maintains them.
Extinction is often misunderstood. It’s not punishment or reinforcement. While attention extinction involves ignoring behavior, it’s just one form. It doesn’t mean ignoring the child entirely. Extinction aims to remove reinforcement for behaviors, leading to their decrease, but it’s not about ignoring the individual.
Implement Crisis/Emergency Procedures According to Protocol
A crisis plan details actions during emergencies, which is essential for learners with behaviors risking harm. For instance, if a client elopes, the plan outlines steps to ensure safety, like contacting authorities or alerting caregivers. It’s crucial for managing risks and protecting everyone involved.
Crisis plans also address medical emergencies. For example, if a learner has asthma or seizures, the plan outlines steps for handling such emergencies during therapy. Tailoring crisis plans to individual needs for effective management and safety assurance is vital.