Differential reinforcement

Differential reinforcement is a teaching method in applied behavior analysis (ABA). It builds a better behavior by giving positive consequences for it. Your child gets something they value, such as attention, a break or a toy, after the behavior the team chose. Its main job is building the new behavior, though it can also make a problem behavior less common.

The reward can follow a different behavior, like asking for a break. It can follow a behavior your child can't do at the same time as the problem one, or stretches without the problem behavior. The best choice gets your child the same thing the problem behavior did. That's why plans usually start by finding out what that is. Some plans also stop rewarding the problem behavior, a step called extinction, and some don't, since that isn't always possible.

Say your child hits to get out of a hard task. Your child's Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) might teach them to ask for a break instead. When your child asks, they get the break. It's often paired with prompts so your child can succeed with the new behavior. Your Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) designs the plan and checks the data, and the RBT carries it out in sessions.

• The new behavior: Ask which behavior your child is learning instead and what they get for using it.
• The reason behind it: Ask whether the new behavior gets your child the same thing the problem behavior did.
• When the old behavior happens: Ask what the team does if the problem behavior still happens and whether extinction is part of the plan.