Comparison of positive and negative reinforcement in treatment of aggression maintained by social avoidance

Document Type

Thesis

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree

M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis

Date Completed

2017

First Committee Member

Karsina, Allen

Second Committee Member

Hanley, Gregory

Third Committee Member

Roscoe, Eileen

Abstract

"The present study evaluated the assessment and treatment of aggression maintained by escape from social interactions (i.e., social avoidance). Three male adolescents diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) were exposed to standard functional analysis (FA) formats (Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, & Richman, 1982/1994) and/or a modified FA format consisting of matched test and control conditions. Results of the FAs showed aggression was maintained by social avoidance for all 3 participants. Treatment consisted of differential reinforcement of an alternative response (DRA), in which a mand for positive reinforcement (DRA-edible) and a mand for negative reinforcement (DRA-escape) were compared using a reversal design. Extinction of aggression during the DRA treatments was implemented for 1 participant, but extinction of aggression could not be implemented consistently during the DRA treatments for the other 2 participants due to the severity of the behavior. DRA-escape was effective in reducing the frequency of aggression for all 3 participants, whereas DRA-edible was effective for 2 of 3 participants. Following the treatment analysis, a treatment preference assessment was conducted with all participants. Two of the participants allocated responding to the DRA-edible treatment, and 1 participant allocated more responding to the DRA-escape treatment. Finally, for 1 participant, treatment effects were replicated across 4 teachers in a generality assessment. Overall, our results indicate that both DRA-escape and DRA-edible can be effective in reducing problem behavior maintained by social avoidance, and that participant preference for these treatments may be idiosyncratic."

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