Contingency Management Positive Reinforcement, Contracting, and Token Economies

1. Contingency Management Positive Reinforcement, Contracting, and Token Economies

2. Contingency Management • Contingency • a precise definition of the limits and range of response topographies that will produce • a specified consequence and • the environmental situation • Management • external control of events • Contingency Management • the external management of environmental stimuli that serve as reinforcers for behavioral performance

3. Contingent Positive Reinforcement

4. Positive Reinforcement • The process of reinforcing an appropriate target behavior in order to increase the probability that the behavior will recur • it is responsive to the child's natural need for attention and approval • it decreases the probability that the child will exhibit inappropriate behavior in an effort to obtain needed attention

5. Essential Rules when using Positive Reinforcement • FIRST • when a child is initially exhibiting a new appropriate behavior, it must be positively reinforced each time it occurs • SECOND • once the target behavior is established at a satisfactory rate, the child should be reinforced intermittently

6. Shea & Bauer, 1987 Steps in the Use of Positive Reinforcement • Carefully select a target behavior (do not attempt to reinforce every positive behavior a child exhibits • Observe the child's behavior to ascertain when he or she engages in the behavior • During the initial stage, reinforce the behavior immediately after it is exhibited • Specify for the child the behavior that is being reinforced • When reinforcing, speak with enthusiasm and show interest in the child's behavior • When appropriate, the practitioner may become involved in the child's behavior, that is, give the child help • Vary the reinforcer

7. Contingency or Behavioral Contract

8. Contingency or Behavioral Contract • an agreement that specifies a contingent relationship between the completion of a specified behavior and access to, or delivery of, a specified consequence • quid pro quo agreements • explicit and negotiated • verbal or written

9. Basic Components of a Contract • Task • who • what • when • Consequence • who • what • after • how much • Task Record

10. official This is to certify that: George Haus Will: complete and turn in his daily in-school spelling exercise. For completing: completion of work - 100 pts. on-time turning work in - 100 pts. grade of 90-100% - 200 pts. 80-89% - 100 pts. 70-79% - 50 pts. 60-69% - 25 pts. 0-59% - 5 pts. Points may be spent on FRIDAY of each week. contract Mr. Bingo 1,000 pts. = special privilege PASS CARD 500 pts. = Percent Ticket 100 pts. = 5 free minutes ______________ teacher ______________ student ______________ contract dates George Haus Jan 1 - Jan 30

11. How do Contracts Work • Positive Reinforcement • addition of something wanted • Negative Reinforcement • removal of something not wanted • Rule-Governed Behavior • specificity generalizes to reality

12. Desirable Aspects of Contingency Contracting • a positive reward-based management system • a way for teachers to individualize contingencies • help teachers and parents remain consistent • a good method for involving parents and significant others in the student's program • encourages active participation and self-determination by the student • can be used to teach independence and self-control • a fairly simple behavior change intervention that can be implemented by non professionals • participants usually like it

13. Essential Elements of a Contract • Task description is present • Described task is observable • When the task will be accomplished is indicated • How much of the task or how well a task will be performed is indicated • Reward description is present • When the reward will be delivered is indicated • How much of the reward will be delivered is indicated • Reward is indicated to occur at a time after the task has been completed • Amount of reward is appropriate for the task

14. Token Economy

15. Token Economy • behaviors to be reinforced are identified and defined • a medium of exchange is selected; that medium of exchange is a symbol called a "token" • backup reinforcers are provided that can be purchased or exchanged with the token

16. Tokens • function as "generalized conditioned reinforcer" • paired with a wide variety of backup reinforcers • token generalized to reinforcer - not the behavior or setting • used to bridge the "time gap" between performance and reinforcement • used to bridge the "setting gap" between the delivery of reinforcement and behavior performance area

17. Rules for Establishing a Token Economy • Select a target behavior • Conceptualize and present the target behavior as a "what to do" not "what not to do" • Post the rules and review them frequently • Select an appropriate token • Establish reinforcers for which reinforcers can be exchanged • Develop a reward menu and post it. Include exchange ratio. • Implement the token economy on a limit basis initially. • Provide immediate reinforcement for acceptable behavior • Gradually change from a continuous to a variable schedule of reinforcement • Provide times for students to exchange tokens for rewards • Revise the reward menu frequently: Content and Ratio

18. Procedures for Implementing a Token Economy • Selecting Tokens • Defining Rules and Behaviors • observable, measurable, criteria for successful completion, easy to hard, prerequisite skills • Select Backup Reinforcers • naturally occurring activities • artificial activities - tangible items • Establish Ratio of Exchange • Establish General Procedures • Field Test

19. Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Student Name: ________________________ Date: ________ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Point Card Point Tally Form

20. Work period Readiness Social Work Work Comments • Behavior Effort Success Point Card for Multipurpose Token Economy Student Name: ________________________ Date: ________ 9:00 - 9:15 9:15 - 9:30 10:00 -10:30 10:30 -10:45 10:45 -11:30 11:30 -12:00 * * * * * *