Behavior Chain Analysis

Behavior Chain

• A behavior chain involves a sequence of linked responses leading to a terminal outcome.
• Each response produces a stimulus change that acts as a conditioned reinforcer for that response.
• Each response produces a stimulus change that acts as a discriminative stimulus (SD) for the subsequent response in the chain.
• Reinforcement for the final action sustains the reinforcing effectiveness of stimulus changes caused by all prior chain responses.

Characteristics of a Behavior Chain

• It encompasses performing a specific series of discrete responses.
• Each behavior in the sequence creates a stimulus change.
• The stimulus change yields conditioned reinforcement for the prior response.
• The stimulus change acts as a discriminative stimulus for the next response.
• Responses in the chain must occur in a specific order and close temporal proximity.

Factors Affecting the Performance of Chains

• Difficulty in learning task increases if task analysis is incomplete.
• Difficulty increased if elements are inappropriately sequenced or discriminative stimuli are not identified for each response.
• Planning must occur before training and adjustments or the use of more intrusive prompts may be needed.
• Longer or more complex behavior chains entail more learning time .
• Maintaining a chain requires an appropriate reinforcement schedule.
• The number of responses in a chain may need consideration when defining the reinforcement schedule.
• Introduce all viable variations of discriminative stimuli.
• When stimulus variations happen, response variation should occur to to produce the same effect.

Ways SDs Contribute to Problematic Responding

• A SD and response might be out of sequence.
• If SD and response are occurring out of order and is being reinforced, sequences throughout the behavior chain should be reexamined and rearranged .
• Similar SDs might cause an incorrect response, rearranging SDs can mitigate confusion.
• Irrelevant SDs in the natural setting might take priority over responding
• Instruct learners to discriminate relevant critical components from irrelevant cues via discrimination training.
• A SDs in the natural setting could contrast from those in the training setting.
• Incorporate natural SDs into the training environment and do some of the training in the natural environment.
• New stimuli in the environment may interfere with responding; incorporate stimuli into the training environment and conduct discrimination training.

Antecedent Interventions

• Antecedent interventions are strategies implemented before a behavior to prevent it or reduce its likelihood.
• Essential for setting a foundation for effective behavioral management.
• Modifying environments or situations by altering conditions or settings is key; practitioners create circumstances lessening unwanted target behaviors while enhancing desired ones.
• These interventions can mean changes in physical space, social dynamics, or schedules.
• These are proactive, emphasizing anticipatory actions for fostering positive behaviors, enabling thriving environments.
• A fundamental component of ABA involves understanding and improving human behavior by manipulating environmental factors.

Types of Antecedent Interventions

• Environmental modifications are changes to surroundings that reduce triggers for unwanted behavior.
• Visual supports use visual cues to encourage desired behaviors.
• Priming lets individuals know upcoming activities/expectations.
• Choice-making gives options, boosting engagement and reducing challenging behaviors.
• Task modification changes demands, making tasks manageable.
• Antecedent exercise uses physical activity to regulate behavior.

Environmental Modifications

• Rearranging furniture reduces distractions.
• Reducing clutter in a workspace promotes focus.
• Adjusting lighting/temperature creates a comfortable environment.
• Removing/minimizing stimuli may trigger undesirable behaviors.
• Adding stimuli encourages positive behaviors.

Visual Supports

• Visual schedules display activity sequences for predictability.
• Social stories describe social situations and expected behaviors.
• Timers visually represent activity duration.
• Graphic organizers structure information and tasks.
• Enhancing understanding and reduces anxiety by making expectations clear.

Priming/Pre-Teaching

• Giving a preview before class.
• Describing steps of a task before beginning.
• Reviewing rules or expectations before entering.
• Preparing individuals reduces uncertainty.
• Increasing compliance with instructions.

Choice-Making

• Allow choosing which task to do first.
• Give options for preferred activities/rewards.
• Ask for input on completing tasks.
• Increases control, reducing challenging behaviors.
• Increased engagement improves cooperation.

Task Modification

• Break tasks into smaller steps.
• Provide assistance/prompts during difficult parts.
• Modify materials/equipment.
• Reduce work amount.
• Makes tasks accessible and promotes success, reducing frustration.

Antecedent Exercise

• Incorporate physical activity throughout the day.
• Encourage sports or recreational activities.
• Use movement-based activities for transitioning.
• Improve mood/reduce hyperactivity.
• Exercise boosts focus.

Implementation Strategies

• Identify and define the target behavior.
• Assess to find triggers and maintaining factors.
• Select suitable interventions, addressing triggers.
• Implement interventions consistently as planned.
• Monitor and evaluate effects, making adjustments.

Benefits of Antecedent Interventions

• A proactive approach prevents problems before they occur.
• Positive reinforcement promotes desired behaviors.
• An improved, predictable learning environment is created.
• Build independence, managing behavior skills.
• Less reliance on reactive strategies.

Examples in Practice

• Student with attention struggles: a quiet, distraction-free workspace.
• Child with transition problems: visual schedule to prep for changes.
• Adult with anxiety: receive an agenda to meetings in advance.
• Teen: chooses homework assignment (choice-making).
• Individual with repetitive behaviors: a structured exercise routine reducing restlessness.

Functional Communication Training (FCT)

• FCT involves teaching a communicative replacement behavior for problem behaviors.
• These behaviors are usually evoked by an establishing operation.
• It includes differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (ORA).

FCT Assumptions

• It substitutes challenging behaviors, enhancing communication capabilities.
• Centers on teaching individuals how to appropriately express their desires, wants, and needs, decreasing reliance on maladaptive behaviors.
• Functions by addressing deficits.

Identifying the Function of Behavior

• Conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) to assess reasons for challenging behaviors.
• Common behavior functions are categorized:
  • Attention: Behaviors to seek focus.
  • Escape/Avoidance: Strategies to evade aversive tasks, demands, or situations.
  • Tangibles: Actions to obtain desired items/activities.
  • Sensory/Automatic Reinforcement: Provides intrinsic satisfaction.

Designing the FCT Intervention

• Focus on strategies reflecting understanding.
• Select a communication response.
• It is crucial for successful outcomes:
• Efficient: Should be simple to perform.
• Effective: Reliably achieve the outcome.
• Socially acceptable: Appropriate within the social context.

Communication Methods in FCT

• Vocal speech: Verbalizing requests.
• Sign language: Manual signs for those with speech challenges.
• Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS): Using picture cards.
• Speech-generating devices (SGDs): Provide vocal output.

Key Components in FCT Plan

• Target communication response
• Teaching methods for the response
• Reinforcement methods
• Strategies for addressing challenging behaviors

Implementing the FCT Intervention

• Ensure is systematic and consistent across environments and people.
• Instructors prompt responses during anticipated behavior.
• Prompts used:
  • Verbal prompts: Instructions giving context.
  • Gestural prompts: Using non-verbal cues.
  • Physical prompts: Direct physical guidance.

Advantages of FCT

• It is effective and humane.
• One significant advantage is that it gives valuable skills.
• Reduces reliance on restrictive interventions.
• Develops communication skills, empowering self-efficacy.

Extinction

• Extinction occurs when a previously reinforced behavior is no longer reinforced.
• This leads to a decrease in that behavior.
• The procedure doesn't prevent the target behavior from occurring.
• It terminates the relationship.

Procedural and Functional Forms of Extinction

• Forms should match the function of the problem behavior.
• The intervention is usually effective.

Misuses of a Technical Term

• Should be used only to identify withholding reinforcement.
• A decline in the response rate under an extinction procedure.
• The functional relation between withholding and the diminishing rate of response.
• Not any decrease in behavior.
• Don't confuse with forgetting, response blocking, sensory extinction, or noncontingent reinforcement.

Extinction Semantics

• It can be a behavior change, behavioral process, or principle of behavior.

Extinction by Positive Reinforcement

• Behaviors do not produce the reinforcer are subject to extinction.

Extinction by Negative Reinforcement

• Behaviors that do not remove the aversive stimulus are subject to extinction.
• Also called escape extinction.

Extinction by Automatic Reinforcement

• Behaviors are subject to masking or removing the sensory consequences.
• Also called sensory extinction

Secondary Effects of Extinction

• Extinction Burst: An immediate increase in the response rate after reinforcement removal.
• Common effect of extinction but problem behaviors may worsen before improving.
• Response Variation: Diversified behavior forms during extinction.
• This is called extinction-induced variability.
• Initial Increase in Response Magnitude: Response magnitude may increase early.
• Spontaneous Recovery: Reappearance of the behavior after diminishing or stopping.
• It is short-lived if extinction remains in effect.
• Resurgence: Previously reinforced behavior reoccurs when alternative behavior is no longer reinforced.
• Resurgence involves a three-phase procedure
  • a target behavior is reinforced
  • placed on reinforcement and reinforcement given for alternative option.
  • both responses are placed on extinction
• Emotional Outbursts/Aggression: Evoke behaviors.

Resistance to to Extinction

• Continued responding during extinction.
• Resistance can be measured: declining response rate, the count of responses, or duration prior to reaching a predetermined criterion.

Variables Affecting Resistance

• Continuous and intermittent:
  • Intermittent may be more resistant
  • Some intermittent schedules may yield more persistent responses than others.
  • The thinner is schedule, the greater resistance.
• Motivating Operations: The strength influences resistance.
  • High motivation yields greater resistance over low
• Number, magnitude, and quality: History influences resistance
  • Reinforcer properties influence resistance.
• Number: Conditioning/extinction influences resistance. Reapply the extinction procedure otherwise
  • With successive applications, behavior decreases more rapidly.
• Response Effort: Greater effort diminishes faster.

Using Extinction Effectively

• Consistency is critical, behavior may be placed on an "intermittent" schedule otherwise.
• Combine with other procedure: Reinforcement for an alternative and antecedent processes.
• May reduce bursts and aggression.
• Use Instructions - describe the procedure to clients - behaviors diminish more quickly.
• Aggression Planning: Previously infrequent behaviors can appear during and should not produce consequences.
• Trials - increasing number improves efficiency overall
• Include: All people in effective must not reinforce unwanted behavior overall.
• Decrease: Maintain a permanent application.
• Guard Against: Do not put on unintended
• Make sure the extinction procedure can be consistently followed, and all reinforcers maintaining the problem behavior can be withheld.
• Plan to address outbursts or aggression, ensure these are not reinforced.
• For effectiveness, include others.

When Not to Use Extinction

• If the behavior is harmful.
• If you cannot withhold all sources of reinforcement.
• If a rapid reduction in response rate is required.
• When others are likely to imitate the problem.