RBT Study Guide: Every item on the BACB work list for behaviour reduction is covered on this page of our RBT study guide. This subject accounts for twelve questions in the final exam and is crucial from the standpoint of the RBT exam. Behaviour reduction will be thoroughly examined here.
In applied behaviour analysis (ABA), behaviour reduction plays a pivotal role in the treatment’s overarching goal of reducing harmful or disruptive behaviours that impede the client’s capacity to learn. In ABA, practitioners adjust problematic behaviours to enhance learning and development by using scientifically supported approaches, including differential reinforcement and extinction.
How to ace the RBT exam is the ultimate goal of this study guide, which will cover all of the topics covered in the RBT task list.
Determine What Must Be Included in a Documented Strategy to Decrease Bad Conduct
Clients aiming to reduce their behaviour should have a documented strategy called a Behaviour Intervention splan(BIP). With the help of the student and other team members, the behaviour intervention plan is developed by the BCBA.
People who hurt themselves or others by aggressiveness, spitting, yelling, property damage, or self-injury behaviours (SIB) must undergo this. The term “target behaviours,” “maladaptive,” or “inappropriate” should be used to describe these behaviours.
All members of the team should adhere to the tactics and interventions outlined in the behaviour reduction strategy in order to forestall and address disruptive behaviours.
A behavior reduction plan must include the following things:
Aggression, self-injury, property damage, and disruptive vocalisations are examples of behaviours that are being targeted for decrease because they may interfere with everyday functioning or pose a harm. Individualised behaviour reduction strategies use assessment results and methodically address the highlighted behaviours.
- Execution of the behaviour reduction plan: The plan must specify the individual who is accountable for the targeted behaviour reduction. If the plan’s implementation is the responsibility of parents, educators, or other caretakers, for instance, their responsibilities should be defined.
- Client behaviour serves a purpose: Every client’s behaviour has an underlying reason. What ABA calls a “function of behaviour” also applies here. The behaviour intervention plan (BIP) has to identify explicitly the four basic categories of behaviour function, as shown in the study.
- In order to lessen the likelihood of the target behaviour happening, a behaviour intervention plan (BIP) must include a preventive approach. Strategies using manipulation or antecedents are other names for this kind of strategy.
- Actions to be performed when the target behaviour happens are an essential component of any behaviour reduction strategy. Examples include disregarding the behaviour, issuing a command, altering environmental factors, redirecting to another activity, or removing a token.
- Crisis interventions: The behaviour reduction plan should explicitly define a crisis strategy if a target behaviour poses a danger to the client or others.
Describe Common Functions of Behavior
According to applied behaviour analysis (ABA), “the function of behaviour” is the reason behind an individual’s actions. An example of this might be a youngster engaging in sensory activities, requesting a certain object, avoiding a chore, or throwing a tantrum to get attention.
For intervention strategies to be successful, it is essential to understand the function of behaviour. By understanding the root causes of behaviours, BCBAs can create more effective techniques for behaviour management and intervention.
There are four main categories of behavior function:
Automatic Reinforcement: The term “automatic reinforcement” refers to a situation in which a behaviour is reinforced only by the outcomes it generates, without any intervention from other people. To relax, you may do things like nibble on your nails, rock back and forth in a chair, tap your feet on the floor, or tap a pen.
Social Attention: This refers to the tendency to either engage in or refrain from social interactions with others. To get the attention of their carers or classmates, a kid may act out.
Escape/Avoidance: This behaviour is used to avoid or flee from disagreeable situations. To avoid doing it, a youngster can, for example, flat-out refuse to do their homework.
Searching for Tangibles or Activities: Certain behaviours are intended to facilitate access to desired items or activities. To illustrate, consider a child’s request for a favourite pastime or item.
Implement Interventions Based on Modification of Antecedents, Such as Motivating Operations And Discriminative Stimuli
Things that happen right before a behaviour are called antecedents. Changing the environment allows us to alter behaviours. If you want to eat better, you may, for instance, rid your house of junk food.
If you want to stay to your target, it’s best to limit unhealthy selections to things like online grocery shopping. Antecedents for behaviour modification are being modified in this way.
Modifications can be made to the following common causes for a client:
- Visual aids and timetables: Their surroundings and daily routine may be better organised with the use of visual aids.
- High-probability request sequence: Emphasising simpler duties before more difficult ones to enhance compliance.
- Priming: The process of preparing for forthcoming events by discussing them, setting expectations, and sharing pertinent information in advance.
- Offering choices: Allowing clients to make decisions within structured options to enhance engagement. Offering a variety of options.
- Non-contingent reinforcement: To encourage good relationships, non-contingent reinforcement involves giving incentives regardless of behaviour.
- Timer: Emphasising the need of using timers to show how long tasks will take, this tool helps with both transitions and time management.
Motivating operations (MOs) change how beneficial something is by affecting how much we value it. There are two subsets within this class: those that eliminate reinforcers and those that build them. The former group deals with operations that boost reinforcer efficacy, while the latter deals with operations that lower it.
As a signal, a discriminative stimulus (SD) shows that an action will result in an outcome. When people do the behaviour, it sends a signal that they will be rewarded. As an example, a loo sign acts as an SD by indicating that there is a toilet available and encouraging people to use the facilities appropriately.
Implement Differential Reinforcement Procedures
Rewarding desirable behaviours while discouraging undesirable ones is the essence of differential reinforcement. To avoid encouraging sobbing, we may ignore a tantrum and instead congratulate the youngster for utilising words, which would be an example of speech reinforcement. As a result, more of the actions we value will be encouraged.
Differential reinforcement techniques are often categorised into two main categories:
An approach to behaviour modification known as differential reinforcement of other behaviours (DRO) involves rewarding a person when they abstain from a problem behaviour for a certain amount of time. The troublesome behaviour, on the other hand, does not get rewarded. No reward is given if the client shouts, but reinforcement is given at intervals, say, every X minutes, for all other behaviours.
Reinforcing a behaviour that is different from the improper behaviour is called differential reinforcement of alternative behaviours (DRA). The child who expects sweets from his parents is a great example. The child’s parents would consistently disregard his demands.
Implement Extinction Procedures
In applied behaviour analysis (ABA), “extinction” is reducing the frequency of a rewarded behaviour by removing reinforcement for it. For instance, it’s possible that a child’s tantrum frequency may reduce if they stop receiving attention for them. The process of extinction lessens undesirable behaviours by eliminating the stimulus that keeps them going.
People often get the concept of extinction wrong. Neither reinforcement nor punishment is intended. There are many forms of attention extinction, one of which is ignoring behaviour. This in no way implies giving the kid no attention at all. While the goal of extinction is to reduce behaviours by eliminating their reward, it is not the same as ignoring the person.
Implement Crisis/Emergency Procedures According to Protocol
Learners with behaviours that pose a risk of injury require a crisis plan that specifies their actions during emergencies. To illustrate, the plan specifies actions to be taken if a client absconds, such as notifying authorities or carers to guarantee their safety, ensuring the safety of all parties involved and effectively managing hazards.
A medical emergency is another aspect that crisis plans include. The plan details procedures to follow in the event of an emergency during treatment, such as when a student develops asthma or seizures. It is critical to customise crisis plans according to specific demands to ensure safety and successful management.
