Social Studies Middle School Guide

Canyons School District

Instructional Supports Department

DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT Effect Size 0.95 Implementation Tools

Critical Actions for Educators --------------------------- ● Select target behavior to be decreased. ● Select alternative behaviors to be

Along with a continuum of strategies designed to acknowledge appropriate behaviors, it is also important for teachers to have a continuum of strategies to respond to inappropriate behaviors. Differential reinforcement is the reinforcement of appropriate behavior while also withholding reinforcement for engaging in inappropriate behavior or reinforcement of a response under one condition but not another. When used consistently, differential reinforcement increases positive behaviors as well as decreases or eliminates negative behaviors. Differential reinforcement is typically used for behaviors that are maintained by attention. There are several types of differential reinforcement, which have subtle differences.

taught and reinforced. ● Determine a schedule of

reinforcement for the alternative behavior. reinforcement of alternative behavior based on a planned schedule.

Defnition

Example

Differential Reinforcem

Reinforce the student when refraining from engaging in the inappropriate behavior AND/OR reinforce another student when engaging in the desired appropriate behavior. Reinforce the student when engaging in a behavior that is incompatible with the inappropriate behavior (an incompatible behavior is one that the student cannot engage in at the same time as the inappropriate behavior). Reinforce the student when engaging in an alternative positive behavior (an alternative positive behavior is one that is specifcally taught as a replacement behavior).

A student who is frequently out of seat during instructional time is reinforced when staying seated AND/OR a student peer is reinforced for staying seated (following classroom rules) when the target student is out of seat. A student who frequently teases peers is reinforced when giving a peer a compliment (incompatible behavior).

● Provide

ent of Other Behavior (DRO)

● Use planned ignoring of inappropriate

Differential Reinforcem ent of Incompatibl e Behavior (DRI) Differential Reinforcem ent of Alternative Behavior (DRA)

behavior when it frst occurs.

● Monitor the student’s performance. ● Decrease the frequency of

reinforcement as the student's behavior improves.

A student who blurts out answers is taught to use a signal card when wanting to make a comment and is reinforced when using the signal card.