Psych 282 - Chapter 17 - Using Punishment Timeout and Response Cost PDF

Preview

Summary

Jeffrey Pisklak ...

Description

Chapter 17 – Using Punishment: Time-Out and Response Cost Introduction  Punishment occurs when a behavior is allowed by a consequence that results in a decrease in the future probability of the behavior  The consequence may involve the presentation of an aversive stimulus or event (positive punishment) or the removal of a reinforcing stimulus or event (negative punishment) – both forms cause the behavior to be weakened  Punishment procedures typically are used only after functional interventions – extinction, differential reinforcement, and antecedent manipulations – have been implemented or considered o When these procedures are implemented and result in a decrease in the problem behavior, punishment procedures are unnecessary o If functional procedures are ineffective or not complete effective, or if their use is limited or impossible, punishment procedures may be considered Time-Out Types of Timeout  Timeout: The loss of access to positive reinforcer for a brief period contingent on the problem behavior – the result is a decrease in the future probability of the problem behavior  Timeout from Positive Reinforcement:  Non-exclusionary Timeout: The person remains in the room while being removed from access to positive reinforcers o Most likely to be used when a) the person can be removed from the reinforcing activities or interactions while still remaining in the room, and b) the presence of the person in the room will not be disruptive to others in the environment  Exclusionary Timeout: The person is removed from the room (the reinforcing environment) where the problem behavior occurred and is taken to another room (removes the person from all sources of positive reinforcement) Using Reinforcement with Timeout  Whenever you use timeout (or any other punishment procedure), you should also use a differential reinforcement procedure  The timeout procedure decreases the rate of the problem behavior, and a differential reinforcement procedure increases an alternative behavior to replace the problem or provides the reinforcer for the absence of the problem behavior, while at the same time applying extinction for the problem behavior  Because the time-out procedure eliminates access to positive reinforcers contingent on the problem behavior, it is important for the person to have access to positive reinforcers through a DRA or DRO procedure (or an NCR procedure) Considerations in Using Timeout  What is the function of the problem behavior? o Timeout is appropriate to use with problem behaviors that are maintained by positive reinforcement involving social or tangible reinforcers o Timeout removes access to these and other positive reinforcers contingent on the problem behavior; as a result, the problem behavior is less likely to occur o In addition, the time-in environment (the environment where the problem behavior occurs) must be consist of positively reinforcing activities or interactions for timeout to be effective o Because time-out removes the person from the ongoing activities or interactions in the room, timeout would negatively reinforce any behavior that was maintained by escape o Time-put is not appropriate to use with problem behavior maintained by negative reinforcement or sensory stimulation (automatic reinforcement) o Likewise, when a problem behavior is maintained by sensory stimulation, time-put is not appropriate because it would not function as time-out from positive reinforcement  Is time-put practical in the given situation? o Timeout is practical when the change agents can implement the procedure successfully and the physical environment is conductive to its use o Since the change agent implementing the time-out generally must escort the client to the time-out area, physical confrontation or aggression may prevent implementation of the procedure o If no room or area exists where the client can be removed from positive reinforcers, time-out cannot be implemented  Is time-out safe? o The time-out room must not contain ant objects that clients could use to hurt themselves o The change agent should observe the client during the timeout to ensure that they do not harm themselves  Is the time-out brief? o If the client is engaging in problem behaviors in the time-out area at the end of the timeout period, time out is extended for a brief time (typically 10 seconds to 1 minute) until the client is no longer engaging in problem behaviors – “contingent delay” or “release contingency”  Can escape from time-put be prevented? o In both exclusionary or non-exclusionary time out, the change agents should prevent the client from leaving the timeout room or area before the end of the timeout interval o For the timeout to be effective, the client must not leave until the interval is up o If the parent cannot prevent escape from timeout or cannot avoid a reinforcing struggle, time-out should not be used  Can interactions be avoided during time-out? o Timeout must be implemented calmly and without any emotional response from the change agent o While the change agent is taking the client to timeout or during time out, the change agent must not interact with the client  Is timeout acceptable in the given situation?

Research Evaluating Timeout Procedures  Contingent Observation: A type of non-exclusionary time-out in which, contingent on the occurrence of the problem behavior, the person is removed from a reinforcing activity for a brief time and required to sit and observe other people as they continue to engage in the activity Response Cost Defining Response Cost  Response Cost: The removal of a specified amount of reinforcer contingent on the occurrence of a problem behavior o Response cost is a negative punishment procedure when it results in a decrease in the future probability of the problem behavior Using Differential Reinforcement with Response Cost  If a response cost procedure is being used to decrease a problem behavior, differential reinforcement should also be used to increase a desirable alternative behavior (DRA) or to reinforce the absence of the problem behavior (DRO)  A differential reinforcement procedure (or NCR procedure) should be used in conjunction with any punishment or extinction procedure Comparing Response Cost, Time-out, and Extinction  With extinction, the problem behavior is no longer followed by the reinforcing event that previously maintained the behavior  With time-out, the person is removed from access to all sources of reinforcement contingent on the problem behavior  With response cost, a specific amount of a reinforcer the person already processes is removed after the problem behavior Considerations in Using Response Cost  Which reinforcer will be removed? o You must identify the reinforcer and the amount of the reinforcer you will remove in the response cost procedure o Should be something that the change again was control over so that it can be removed after the problem behavior o The quantity of the reinforcer must be larger enough so that its loss contingent on the problem behavior will decrease the problem behavior  Is the reinforcer loss immediate or delayed? o Although the reinforcer loss in response cost typically is delayed, the person is told about the loss immediately after the problem behavior o In addition, in some cases, an immediate consequence occurs together with the delayed loss of the reinforcer o The immediate verbal statement about losing a reinforcer and the symbolic representation become conditioned reinforcers because they are paired with the eventual loss of the enforcer  Is the loss of reinforcers ethical? o It is important that the removal of reinforcers in the response cost procedure does not violate the rights of the person being treated or result in harm to him or her  Is the response cost practical and acceptable? o The change agent must be capable of carrying out the procedure o The response cost must not stigmatize or embarrass the person with the problem behavior Chapter Summary  In timeout, the person loses access to all sources of reinforcement contingent on the problem behavior o Timeout works as a form of negative punishment  In non-exclusionary timeout, the person is removed from all sources of reinforcement while remaining in the environment where the problem behavior occurred o In exclusionary timeout, the person is removed from the environment and taken to a timeout room or area  In response cost, the person loses a quantity of a specific reinforcer contingent on the occurrence of the problem behavior o Immediately after the problem behavior, the reinforcer is removed and the person is less likely to engage in the problem behavior in the future  Reinforcement is used in conjunction with time our or response cost so that a desirable alternative behavior is strengthened to replace the problem behavior that is decreased with these punishment procedures  For time-out to be effective, the time-in environment must be reinforcing o Timeout is no appropriate for problem behaviors maintained by escape or sensory stimulation o Timeout must be practical, safe, acceptable to caregivers, and brief in duration o Escape from timeout and interaction with the child during timeout must be prevented o For response cost to be used successfully, the change agent must have control over the reinforcer to be removed o In addition, reinforcers must not be removed from a person if it will result in harm or violation of that person’s rights o The change agent must choose the appropriate reinforcer to remove during the response cost procedure and must determine whether the loss of the reinforcer will be immediate or delayed o Response cost must be practical and acceptable to caregivers

Practice Test – Chapter 17 1.

What is punishment? What is the difference between positive punishment and negative punishment?

2.

Describe timeout. Explain why timeout is a negative punishment procedure.

3.

What is non-exclusionary timeout? What is exclusionary timeout? Provide an example of each type of timeout.

4.

Under what conditions would you use non-exclusionary timeout rather than exclusionary timeout?

5.

Describe how the effectiveness of timeout is related to the function of the problem behavior and the nature of the time-in environment.

6.

Describe the characteristics of an appropriate timeout room or area.

7.

Why should the timeout period be brief?

8.

If parents use timeout with their child, what must the parents do and not do while the child is in the timeout room or area?

9.

Describe response cost. Explain what makes response cost a negative punishment procedure.

10. Describe two examples of response cost procedures.

11. Describe the differences among extinction, timeout, and response cost....