Resources

Reflection Questions

The Reflection Questions document can be downloaded at any time and used in a variety of ways. You can view it before starting your work so that you know which questions will be asked in the videos and/or on the webpages. You can also access it at the end of your work so that you can see all your responses to the questions. This tool can be helpful for documenting your learning and referring to later or for sharing it with others in group discussions or as demonstration of your online progress.

Discussion Questions

The Discussion Questions provided below can supplement and extend your individual learning and be used by facilitators or coaches to prompt meaningful discussions.

1. What are the benefits of using differential reinforcement?

   A correct answer should include a statement such as:

   • Differential reinforcement is an effective and humane procedure for decreasing or eliminating maladaptive behaviors.
   • There are no ethical or legal issues in using differential reinforcement procedures compared to other reductive techniques (e.g., extinction, punishment, aversive stimulation, restraints).
   • Reinforcement occurs regardless of which procedure is used, thus encouraging and strengthening the use of other, positive behaviors.

2. What steps should occur in preparation for implementing differential reinforcement?

   A correct answer should include a statement such as:

   • Data should be taken by all team members that are familiar with the learner to determine the function of the problem behavior and to select the appropriate differential reinforcement procedure to implement the behavior change.
   • A description of the problem behavior and replacement (or target) behavior should be adapted into a form that the learner (if appropriate) can comprehend. Examples of adapted descriptions include simple written descriptions and pictorial depictions, if needed to convey the meaning to the learner.
   • Steps of how to conduct and enforce the differential reinforcement procedure, including the stimuli and schedule of reinforcement, the setting(s) in which it will occur, and the person(s) responsible for implementing and monitoring data, and whether other intervention procedures will be embedded should be decided beforehand.
   • Discussion  on whether other intervention procedures will be embedded should the learner not respond to the selected differential reinforcement procedure should be considered among team members.

3. What can be done to increase the likelihood that the problem behavior will respond to differential reinforcement?

   A correct answer should include a statement such as:

   • Take detailed data to identify all functions for the problem behavior (e.g., when does it occur, with whom, under what situations, what does the behavior look like)
   • Make sure that all persons (both adults and peers) who come into regular contact with the learner consistently withhold reinforcement of the problem behavior, as well as deliver reinforcement according to the established schedule or occurrence of the target, replacement behavior.
   • Select functional and meaningful replacement behaviors to teach the learner that will take the place of the problem behavior.
   • Select replacement behaviors that are within the learner's repertoire or skill set (and therefore can be taught to the learner within a short period of time) and that will be reinforced by others on a consistent basis.
   • Aim to be preventive so that the learner has no reason to exhibit the problem behavior (e.g., remove antecedents or triggers from the environment; select powerful, motivating reinforcers to encourage the use of the desirable behaviors; or remove or mask the consequence to the problem behavior).

4. Describe a learner that you think would benefit from differential reinforcement. What skills need to be targeted for intervention? Which differential reinforcement procedure is most suitable to implement (based on the learner's needs, the teaching environment and other available resources) and which procedure is less beneficial?

   Answers to this question will vary. Each answer should be supported by content derived from the module, but should vary based on the individual learner being described. 

5. Continuing your answer to Question 4, think of a learner with ASD that you feel would benefit from differential reinforcement. How would you respond if the learner's behavior became worse or did not respond to the procedure?  Justify your answer based on the learner's individual characteristics. 

   Answers to this question will vary. Each answer should be supported by content derived from the module, but specific answers do not have to come directly from the module as long as they are justified based on the individual characteristics of the learner. When it comes to individualizing an intervention, creativity should be encouraged as long as the proposed ideas seem feasible, humane, and ethical.

Activities on this page are provided at both the introductory and advanced level and can be copied and used within existing professional development or university coursework.

Introductory Activities

1. Preparing the Differential Reinforcement Program

   Identify a learner with ASD with whom you currently work. Think about how you might use one of the differential reinforcement procedures to reduce or eliminate a problem behavior demonstrated by this learner. What steps would you take when selecting and developing the differential reinforcement program? What kind of data collection system would you develop and why? What modifications would you make, if any, to remove or mask the reinforcing consequence maintaining the problem behavior? How would you identify a replacement behavior to teach the learner? Who would be involved in development, implementation, and management of the program and why?

2. Implementing Differential Reinforcement

   Identify a learner with ASD with whom you currently work. How would you use differential reinforcement to decrease or eliminate a problem behavior for this learner? During what activities would you implement the procedure? What kinds of prompting and reinforcement schedule and strategies would you use to support the learner's response to the program?

Advanced Activities

1. Generalizing the Use of Target Skills

   What steps would you take to help learners generalize their response to the differential reinforcement procedure? How and when would the differential reinforcement procedure be implemented to prevent the problem behavior from occurring outside the target setting? For example, what steps must be added or modified to the program to ensure that the learner does not repeatedly ask for students' names when walking in the hallway in between classes? Or how do we generalize the learner's replacement behavior of asking for help with a substitute teacher? Another consideration is how to fade the use of prompts and reinforcement? Finally, how will you know when the learner with ASD no longer needs the program?

2. Research Activity

   Using the Evidence-Based Practice list provided in the Resource section, read at least two articles on differential reinforcement and prepare a summary to share with a parent group or school team.

3. Teaching Others About Differential Reinforcement

   Using what you have learned from the differential reinforcement module, design a visual format for presenting this information to others who work with learners with ASD. This might include constructing a poster describing how differential reinforcement can be implemented to address problem behaviors maintained by specific functions (e.g., to attain something, to attain attention, to escape/avoid, and/or to attain sensory stimulation), a fact sheet that explains to parents and siblings how to integrate differential reinforcement procedures during daily activities and routines at home and in the community, or a PowerPoint presentation on how to respond should the problem behavior not respond to the program.