Behavioral momentum theory describes the persistence of behavior in terms of its history of reinforcement (behavioral mass) and response rate (velocity) as a metaphor of Newton’s second law of motion. In applied settings where reinforcement-based procedures (e.g., DRO and DRA) are commonly used to reduce problem behavior, it has been found that these treatments can decrease problem behavior but may also increase response persistence. The present study compared a commonly used intervention for stereotypy, differential reinforcement of other behavior or DRO, with a modified DRO to determine whether modifying the delivery of reinforcement may decrease the persistence-building effects of the DRO. In the standard DRO condition, reinforcers were delivered in the context in which responding was observed after a specified interval had elapsed in the absence of stereotypy. In the modified DRO condition, reinforcers were delivered in a different location after that same interval had elapsed. While the modified DRO was not found to be effective in reducing stereotypy, greater behavioral persistence was observed in the context in which the standard DRO treatment had been implemented.
Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)
Autism Research Database (AFD)
