Document Type

Dissertation

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree

PhD in Behavior Analysis

Dissertation Defense Date

2019

First Committee Member

Ahearn, William H.

Second Committee Member

Bourret, Jason C.

Third Committee Member

Dube, William V.

Additional Committee Member(s)

Pinkston, Jonathan W.

Abstract

"Behavioral momentum theory research has demonstrated that differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) based interventions, while decreasing the rate of a target response (i.e., problem behavior), may in fact increase the persistence of the target response when there is a challenge to treatment (i.e. extinction). Previous studies have demonstrated that by training the alternative response in a context in which a target response has no history of reinforcement and then combining this context with one in which the target response has a history of reinforcement, the persistence increasing effects of DRA can be minimized when disruption occurs. The present study replicated previous findings with individuals with developmental disabilities by showing that combining stimuli associated with reinforcement for an alternative response with stimuli associated with reinforcement for a target response reduced target response persistence compared with a concurrent reinforcement history stimulus condition for the alternative and target responses. Extinction tests were used to test response persistence across the concurrent and combined stimulus conditions. The current study extends previous research by replicating this finding within participants following resumption of reinforcement phases and subsequent disruption phases."

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