A Comparison of Fixed and Incrementing Reinforcement Durations during Schedule Thinning for Individuals with Escape-Maintained Problem Behavior

As a treatment for escape-maintained problem behavior, differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) is typically initiated by reinforcing compliance on a dense reinforcement schedule. This work schedule is then progressively thinned such that the individual is required to complete more work, up to some socially acceptable terminal goal, before earning access to reinforcement. Two variations of this procedure appear in the literature but have not been compared directly. One variation involves maintaining a fixed reinforcement duration as the work requirements increase; the other involves increasing the reinforcement duration incrementally, coinciding with increases in work requirements. The current study compared these procedures with three children with intellectual and developmental disabilities who exhibited problem behavior maintained by escape from instruction. Schedule thinning evoked less problem behavior when reinforcement durations increased incrementally for all three participants. These reductions in problem behavior allowed more rapid progress toward terminal goals.