摘要：Behavior-reduction interventions typically employ dense schedules of alternative reinforcement in conjunction with operant extinction for problem behavior. After problem behavior is reduced in the initial treatment stages, schedule thinning is routinely conducted to make the intervention more practical in natural environments. In the current investigation, two methods for thinning alternative reinforcement schedules were compared for 3 clients who exhibited severe problem behavior. In the dense-to-lean (DTL) condition, reinforcement was delivered on relatively dense schedules (using noncontingent reinforcement for 1 participant and functional communication training for 2 participants), followed by systematic schedule thinning to progressively leaner schedules. During the fixed lean (FL) condition, reinforcement was delivered on lean schedules (equivalent to the terminal schedule of the DTL condition). The FL condition produced a quicker attainment of individual treatment goals for 2 of the 3 participants. The results are discussed in terms of the potential utility of using relatively lean schedules at treatment outset. Full Text The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (157K). Selected References These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article. Fisher WW, Adelinis JD, Thompson RH, Worsdell AS, Zarcone JR. Functional analysis and treatment of destructive behavior maintained by termination of "don't" (and symmetrical "do") requests. J Appl Behav Anal. 1998 Fall; 31 (3):339–356. [ PubMed ] Fisher W, Piazza C, Cataldo M, Harrell R, Jefferson G, Conner R. Functional communication training with and without extinction and punishment. J Appl Behav Anal. 1993 Spring; 26 (1):23–36. [ PubMed ] Fisher WW, Thompson RH, Hagopian LP, Bowman LG, Krug A. Facilitating tolerance of delayed reinforcement during functional communication training. Behav Modif. 2000 Jan; 24 (1):3–29. [ PubMed ] Hagopian LP, Fisher WW, Legacy SM. Schedule effects of noncontingent reinforcement on attention-maintained destructive behavior in identical quadruplets. J Appl Behav Anal. 1994 Summer; 27 (2):317–325. [ PubMed ] Hagopian LP, Fisher WW, Sullivan MT, Acquisto J, LeBlanc LA. Effectiveness of functional communication training with and without extinction and punishment: a summary of 21 inpatient cases. J Appl Behav Anal. 1998 Summer; 31 (2):211–235. [ PubMed ] Hanley GP, Iwata BA, Thompson RH. Reinforcement schedule thinning following treatment with functional communication training. J Appl Behav Anal. 2001 Spring; 34 (1):17–38. [ PubMed ] Iwata BA, Dorsey MF, Slifer KJ, Bauman KE, Richman GS. Toward a functional analysis of self-injury. J Appl Behav Anal. 1994 Summer; 27 (2):197–209. [ PubMed ] Iwata BA, Duncan BA, Zarcone JR, Lerman DC, Shore BA. A sequential, test-control methodology for conducting functional analyses of self-injurious behavior. Behav Modif. 1994 Jul; 18 (3):289–306. [ PubMed ] Kahng SW, Iwata BA, DeLeon IG, Wallace MD. A comparison of procedures for programming noncontingent reinforcement schedules. J Appl Behav Anal. 2000 Summer; 33 (2):223–231. [ PubMed ] Lalli JS, Casey S, Kates K. Reducing escape behavior and increasing task completion with functional communication training, extinction, and response chaining. J Appl Behav Anal. 1995 Fall; 28 (3):261–268. [ PubMed ] Lalli JS, Casey SD, Kates K. Noncontingent reinforcement as treatment for severe problem behavior: some procedural variations. J Appl Behav Anal. 1997 Spring; 30 (1):127–137. [ PubMed ] Leitenberg H, Rawson RA, Bath K. Reinforcement of competing behavior during extinction. Science. 1970 Jul 17; 169 (942):301–303. [ PubMed ] Ringdahl JE, Vollmer TR, Borrero JC, Connell JE. Fixed-time schedule effects as a function of baseline reinforcement rate. J Appl Behav Anal. 2001 Spring; 34 (1):1–15. [ PubMed ] Vollmer TR, Iwata BA, Zarcone JR, Smith RG, Mazaleski JL. The role of attention in the treatment of attention-maintained self-injurious behavior: noncontingent reinforcement and differential reinforcement of other behavior. J Appl Behav Anal. 1993 Spring; 26 (1):9–21. [ PubMed ] Vollmer TR, Marcus BA, Ringdahl JE. Noncontingent escape as treatment for self-injurious behavior maintained by negative reinforcement. J Appl Behav Anal. 1995 Spring; 28 (1):15–26. [ PubMed ] Vollmer TR, Ringdahl JE, Roane HS, Marcus BA. Negative side effects of noncontingent reinforcement. J Appl Behav Anal. 1997 Spring; 30 (1):161–164. [ PubMed ]
