RBT Exam Revision Course: Behavior Reduction

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Table of Contents

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D-01 Behavior Reduction: Components of a Behavior Support Plan

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A Behavior Support Plan (BSP) (also called a Behavior Reduction Plan) is a structured document that guides intervention for reducing behaviors that challenge while promoting functionally appropriate alternatives.

Key components of a BSP:

  1. Operational Definition of Target Behavior โ€“ Clear, observable, and measurable definitions.
  2. Function of the Behavior โ€“ Based on assessment (e.g., FBA, ABC data).
  3. Antecedent Interventions โ€“ Strategies to modify the environment to prevent behavior (e.g., altering MOs, using SDs, providing choice).
  4. Skill-Building Strategies โ€“ Functionally Equivalent Replacement Behaviors (FERBs) (e.g., Functional Communication Training, tolerance training, coping skills) and other Differential Reinforcement Procedures.
  5. Consequence-Based Strategies โ€“ Reinforcement and extinction procedures.
  6. Crisis/Emergency Procedures (if needed) โ€“ Safety interventions in high-risk cases (e.g., response blocking, emergency restraint protocols). This may be a separate document.
  7. Data Collection & Monitoring โ€“ How progress will be tracked and when the plan will be reviewed.

D-02 Functions of Behavior

Behavior occurs for a reason, usually to access or avoid something. The four main function categories are:

  1. Sensory (Automatic Reinforcement) โ€“ The behavior itself is reinforcing.
    • Automatic Positive Reinforcement: Produces pleasurable sensations (e.g., hand-flapping, rocking).
    • Automatic Negative Reinforcement: Reduces pain/discomfort (e.g., scratching an itch, rubbing eyes).
  2. Escape/Avoidance โ€“ The behavior removes or delays something aversive.
    • Escape: Leaving an unpleasant situation (e.g., running away from a demand).
    • Avoidance: Preventing something unpleasant (e.g., refusing to start a task).
  3. Attention (Social Positive Reinforcement) โ€“ The behavior gains social interaction (e.g., shouting to get attention).
  4. Tangible (Access to Items/Activities) โ€“ The behavior results in access to a desired object or activity (e.g., grabbing a toy, demanding food).

Acronym: SEAT (Sensory, Escape, Attention, Tangible)


D-03 Antecedent-Based Interventions (MOs, SDs, Preventative Strategies)

Antecedent strategies modify the environment to prevent behaviors that challenge before they occur.

Key antecedent-based interventions:

  1. Modifying Motivating Operations (MOs):
    • Establishing Operations (EOs): Increase the value of reinforcement (e.g., restricting access to a favourite toy to increase motivation to request it).
    • Abolishing Operations (AOs): Decrease reinforcement value (e.g., providing frequent breaks to reduce escape-motivated behavior).
  2. Manipulating Discriminative Stimuli (SDs):
    • SDs signal reinforcement availability (e.g., Directing teachers or caregivers not to present known SDs for behaviors that challenge or to remove them from the environment).
  3. Non-Contingent Reinforcement (NCR):
    • Providing reinforcement independent of behavior to reduce motivation for challenging behaviour (e.g., frequent attention to reduce attention-seeking behaviour).
  4. Behavioral Momentum:
    • Using high-probability requests (easy tasks) before low-probability requests (difficult tasks) to increase compliance.
  5. Premack Principle (First-Then Rule):
    • Making access to a preferred activity contingent on completing a less-preferred task (“First finish homework, then play video games”).

D-04 Differential Reinforcement (DRO, DRA, DRI, DRH, DRL)

Differential Reinforcement procedures reduce behaviors that challenge while reinforcing alternative or appropriate behaviors. They involve placing a behavior that challenges on extinction while reinforcing a behavior that provides the same form of reinforcement as a behavior that challenges (e.g. reinforcing asking for a break during class rather than providing a break in response to screaming).

  1. DRA (Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior):
    • Reinforce a functionally equivalent alternative behaviour (e.g., replacing hitting with requesting a break).
  2. DRI (Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior):
    • Reinforce a behaviour that cannot occur at the same time as the challenging behavior (e.g., reinforcing hands-in-lap to replace hand-flapping).
  3. DRO (Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior):
    • Reinforce any behaviour except the target behavior within a set interval (e.g., providing praise every 5 minutes without aggression).
  4. DRH (Differential Reinforcement of High Rates of Behavior):
    • Reinforce increased rates of a desired behaviour (e.g., increasing social initiations).
  5. DRL (Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates of Behavior):
    • Reinforce reduced but not eliminated behaviour (e.g., reducing rapid question-asking).

D-05 Extinction Procedures

Extinction occurs when reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior is removed, leading to a decrease in that behavior over time.

Types of Extinction:

  1. Attention Extinction (Planned Ignoring): Withholding attention for attention-seeking behaviors.
  2. Escape Extinction: Preventing escape-motivated behavior from being reinforced (e.g., following through with a demand despite non-co-operation).
  3. Tangible Extinction: Denying access to an item that previously reinforced the behavior.
  4. Sensory Extinction: Blocking or modifying automatic reinforcement (e.g., wearing protective headgear for head-hitting reinforced by sensory reinforcement).

Note: Extinction can initially increase behavior (extinction burst) before it decreases.


D-06 Crisis & Emergency Procedures

Crisis intervention focuses on immediate safety rather than long-term behavior change.

  1. Proactive Strategies (De-escalation):
    • Changing tone, environment, or offering alternatives before escalation.
  2. Crisis Response:
    • Only use restrictive procedures if there is imminent harm.
    • Physical restraints should only be used by trained professionals (and as the least restrictive option required to keep someone safe).
    • Chemical restraints (medications) require medical oversight and monitoring.
  3. Post-Crisis Review:
    • Debriefing to analyse triggers, improve prevention strategies, and update BSPs.

Behaviour Reduction Key Terms

Behaviour that Challenges

A behaviour is considered challenging if it occurs at an intensity, frequency, or duration that threatens the quality of life or safety of the individual or others. Challenging behaviours often lead to restrictive, aversive, or exclusionary responses.

Behaviour Reduction Plan (Behaviour Support Plan, BSP)

A written guide outlining strategies to reduce behaviours that challenge and promote functional alternatives. It typically includes:

  • Definition of target behaviours
  • Identified function(s) of behaviour
  • Antecedent interventions (prevention strategies)
  • Skill-building interventions (functionally equivalent replacement behaviours)
  • Consequence-based strategies (reinforcement, extinction)
  • Crisis intervention procedures (if required)
  • Data collection and monitoring process

Behaviour Contract

A written agreement outlining behavioural expectations, reinforcements, and consequences. Used to clarify contingencies in behaviour plans.


Antecedent-Based Strategies

Antecedent Interventions

Strategies that modify the environment before a behaviour occurs to reduce the likelihood of challenging behaviour. Examples include providing choice, altering task difficulty, and using visual supports.

Non-Contingent Reinforcement (NCR)

Providing reinforcement on a fixed or variable schedule, independent of the target behaviour, to reduce motivation for challenging behaviours (e.g., scheduled attention to prevent attention-seeking behaviour).

Behavioural Momentum

A technique that involves presenting high-probability (easy) tasks before low-probability (difficult) tasks to increase compliance and engagement.

Premack Principle (“First-Then”)

A highly preferred activity is made contingent on completing a less-preferred activity (e.g., “First finish homework, then play video games”). Used to increase motivation for difficult tasks.


Functions of Behaviour

Sensory (Automatic) Function

Behaviour occurs because the reinforcement comes from the behaviour itself rather than external sources.

  • Automatic Positive Reinforcement โ€“ Adds a pleasurable sensation (e.g., hand-flapping for sensory input).
  • Automatic Negative Reinforcement โ€“ Reduces discomfort (e.g., scratching an itch).

Escape Function

Behaviour serves to avoid or terminate an aversive situation (e.g., leaving the classroom to avoid a difficult task).

Attention Function

Behaviour results in social interaction, whether positive (e.g., praise) or negative (e.g., reprimands).

Tangible Function

Behaviour results in access to a desired object or activity (e.g., crying to get a toy).


Replacement Behaviours & Differential Reinforcement

Functionally Equivalent Replacement Behaviour (FERB)

A new behaviour that serves the same function as the challenging behaviour but is more socially appropriate (e.g., requesting a break instead of screaming).

Functional Communication Training (FCT)

A structured intervention that teaches an individual to use communication (verbal, sign, AAC) to replace challenging behaviour that serves a communicative function.

Differential Reinforcement of Other Behaviour (DRO)

Reinforces any behaviour except the target challenging behaviour within a specific time period. (E.g., providing reinforcement every 5 minutes without aggression).

Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behaviour (DRA)

Reinforces a contextually appropriate alternative behaviour that serves the same function as the target behaviour (e.g., reinforcing hand-raising instead of calling out).

Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behaviour (DRI)

Reinforces a behaviour that physically cannot occur simultaneously with the target behaviour (e.g., reinforcing hands-in-lap to replace hand-flapping).

Differential Reinforcement of High or Low Rates of Behaviour (DRH/DRL)

  • DRH โ€“ Reinforcing higher rates of a desired behaviour (e.g., increasing social initiations).
  • DRL โ€“ Reinforcing lower rates of a behaviour that is appropriate in moderation (e.g., reducing excessive question-asking).

Extinction Procedures

Extinction (General Definition)

A procedure in which reinforcement for a previously reinforced behaviour is withheld, leading to a decrease in that behaviour over time.

Attention Extinction (Planned Ignoring)

Withholding attention that previously reinforced the behaviour (e.g., ignoring non-dangerous tantrums used to gain attention).

Escape Extinction

Preventing escape-motivated behaviour from being reinforced (e.g., not allowing task avoidance through noncompliance).

Tangible Extinction

Denying access to an item that previously reinforced the behaviour (e.g., not giving a child a toy when they scream for it).

Sensory Extinction

Blocking or modifying automatic reinforcement (e.g., using a chewy necklace to replace self-biting).


Crisis & Emergency Procedures

Crisis Intervention Plan

A structured plan to manage high-risk behaviours that may cause immediate harm. Unlike a behaviour reduction plan, crisis interventions focus on immediate safety rather than long-term behaviour change.

Least Restrictive Principle

Restrictive interventions (e.g., physical restraint, time-out, seclusion) should only be used when necessary, proportionate, and in the best interest of the individual. The least restrictive, most effective strategy should always be prioritised.

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