Problem:
When using a reductive procedure to decrease problem behavior it is important to also reinforce functionally equivalent alternatives since the behavior is serving a purpose for the individual. If the problem behavior is reduced without teaching a replacement behavior that meets the same need, the individual may continue the behavior in other ways or develop a new problem behavior. Reinforcing an appropriate alternative gives the child a more acceptable way to access the same reinforcement, which makes behavior change more effective and long-lasting (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2020). For example, a child with autism may engage in self-stimulatory behavior like hand-flapping to gain sensory input. A reductive procedure such as response blocking could be used to gently interrupt the hand-flapping when it occurs. At the same time, the child could be taught and reinforced for using a functionally equivalent behavior such as squeezing a stress ball or using a fidget that provides similar sensory input. Each time the child uses the fidget instead of engaging in hand-flapping, they receive praise or access to a preferred activity. By combining the reductive procedure with reinforcement of an alternative behavior, the child learns a more appropriate way to meet their sensory needs while reducing the problem behavior (Cooper et al., 2020). Cooper, J.O., Heron, T.E., & Heward, W.L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson. Need Assignment Help?