Reinforcement

Reinforcement
What Is It? And When To Give It?


What Is It?
Reinforcement is a key component when implementing behavioural interventions. Using information gathered from interviews with teachers, school administration, parents and the student/person, Forced Choice Reinforcement Menu, OSR, it can be determined what reinforcers will work best and motivate the person to success.

When To Give It?
Collected data will determine how often the behaviour is exhibited in a certain time period. E.g. Johnny disturbs the class X 2 in a 55 minute period (approx every 30 minutes), which means he should have the opportunity to engage in and be positively reinforced for appropriate behaviour every 15 minutes.

Reinforcers should be changed on a regular basis if the person becomes bored. It is important when choosing reinforcers to think about the amount of reinforcement in relationship to the effort required for the person to receive the reinforcer.

Types Of Reinforcers

Intrinsic: belonging to a thing by nature I.e. pride, positive self talk, drive, motivation
Extrinsic: outside or external I.e. rewards/point systems, praise

“Reinforcer Sampling”

This is a “non-contingent” access to a reinforcer (no stings attached). The person is allowed to participate in a (highly preferred activity, receive something they have never had before) with the understanding that they must exhibit the behaviour in order to receive the reward again.

“Successive Approximations”

Sometimes the changes will be difficult or to dramatic to expect all at once so “approximations” of exhibited appropriate behaviour should be reinforced

“Fading”

Fading or gradually replacing extrinsic (external reinforcers) with intrinsic or (natural/inward reinforcers). The process of transition can begin with pairing both extrinsic and intrinsic reinforcers together E. g. David receives points for completing work but receives praise and increased self esteem knowing he’s improving.

Maintaining Positive Behaviour

To be successful with any behavioural intervention it takes the willingness and ability of the student to continue to use the strategies with minimal outside support. This means that it is our jobs to teach the student strategies that can be used to maintain the new behaviour. Maintenance is the lasting over time even when the extrinsic reinforcers have been faded as well as making sure that the student can use these strategies in other appropriate settings, generalization. Here are several ways to use generalization.

Restructure the social environment to benefit from the power of peer relationships to promote positive behaviour. With the use of natural consequence of being with and having friends the positives will be reinforced.

Cognitive mediation: thinking through a situation before acting on emotion.
* self talk - talking themselves through a situation
* self cueing - recognizing when they are upset, tense
* self monitoring - counting the frequency and duration of their own behaviour
* self evaluating - comparing changes in behaviour to determine progress
* self reinforce - give themselves the rewards when criteria has been reached
* self advocacy - promoting their own recognition to the positive changes in their behaviour

The success of these strategies may depend on providing the student with “booster” or refresher. Review the “plan” with the student to reconfirm goals and tweak the plan as necessary.