Piazza, C. C., Fisher, W. W., Hanley, G. P., Remick, M. L., Contrucci, S. A., & Aitken, T. L. (1997).
The use of positive and negative reinforcement in the treatment of escape-maintained destructive behavior.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
30, 279-298.
We identified 3 clients whose destructive behavior was sensitive
to negative reinforcement (break from tasks) and positive
reinforcement (access to tangible items, attention, or both). In
an instructional context, we then evaluated the effects of
reinforcing compliance with one, two, or all of these
consequences (a break, tangible items, attention) when
destructive behavior produced a break and when it did not
(escape extinction). For 2 clients, destructive behavior
decreased and compliance increased when compliance produced
access to tangible items, even though destructive behavior
resulted in a break. For 1 client, extinction was necessary to
reduce destructive behavior and to increase compliance.
Subsequently, when the schedule of reinforcement for compliance
was faded for all clients, destructive behavior was lower and
fading proceeded more rapidly when compliance produced multiple
fu nctional reinforcers (i.e., a break plus tangible items or
attention) and destructive behavior was on extinction. The
results are discussed in terms of the effects of relative
reinforcement value and extinction on concurrent operants.
DESCRIPTORS: concurrent operants, developmental disabilities,
negative reinforcement, positive reinforcement, functional
analysis, escape, response covariation