Effects of delayed reinforcement of alternative behavior on food stealing

Document Type

Thesis

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree

M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis

Date Completed

2015

First Committee Member

Bourret, Jason

Second Committee Member

Hanley, Gregory

Third Committee Member

Sassi, Jessica

Abstract

"A series of assessments were conducted to determine whether an alternative response could be taught to replace food stealing. Three students in a residential school for children with autism participated. We examined the durability of the alternative response by measuring the latency to the alternative response and food stealing across progressively increasing delays. Results of a functional analysis (FA) indicated that food stealing was automatically maintained for all participants. A DRA with immediate reinforcement decreased food stealing, but, once a delay to reinforcement was introduced, food stealing increased for all participants. The reinforcement schedule was successfully thinned for all three participants, however, the effective treatment varied slightly for each individual. Delay fading with praise was effective for one participant, and a variable ratio fading procedure was effective for the other two participants."

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