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Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior in Center-Based Classrooms: Evaluation of Pre-teaching the Alternative Behavior

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Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of a differential reinforcement of alternative behavior procedure in decreasing disruptive behavior while simultaneously increasing the appropriate behavior of four children of typical development between the ages of 4 and 6 in center-based classrooms. We began with brief functional analyses for each child. Then, differential reinforcement procedures, with and without pre-teaching the alternative behavior, were compared using an alternating treatments design. Results indicated that the differential reinforcement procedure with pre-teaching resulted in lower levels of problem behavior and greater levels of the alternative behavior compared to differential reinforcement alone. Results are discussed in terms of implications for applied practice and functional assessment and intervention research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Behavioral Psychology, The Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Matthew W. LeGray

  2. Department of Psychology, School Psychology Service Center, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5025, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406-5025, USA

    Brad A. Dufrene & D. Joe Olmi

  3. School Psychology Program, Department of Educational & Counseling Psychology, and Special Education, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Sterett Mercer

  4. Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, Region IV at Central Louisiana Resource Center on Developmental Disabilities, Region IV, Lafayette, LA, USA

    Heather Sterling

Authors
  1. Matthew W. LeGray
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  2. Brad A. Dufrene
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  3. Sterett Mercer
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  4. D. Joe Olmi
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  5. Heather Sterling
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Correspondence to Matthew W. LeGray.

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LeGray, M.W., Dufrene, B.A., Mercer, S. et al. Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior in Center-Based Classrooms: Evaluation of Pre-teaching the Alternative Behavior. J Behav Educ 22, 85–102 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-013-9170-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-013-9170-8

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