Escape Based Treatments• Negative Reinforcement• Escaping• Avoiding or Delaying• Attenuating (you do it for me)• Includes hand over hand assistance

• The widest variety of treatments

• Some treatments are similar to Positive Reinforcement• Tailored to an escape function

Escape Based Treatments

• Antecedent Manipulations• Making the tasks doable• Shorter• Providing help

• Subtle

• Behavioral Momentum• Example: Vacuum salesman• Helpful to initiate tasks

Escape Based Treatments• Choice of Tasks• Providing control to children is one way to decrease the

aversiveness of tasks• Arranged in a way that all tasks are done.

• Providing “breaks” from tasks on a schedule• Decreases motivation to engage in problem behavior to

escape demands.• Problems: • May reinforce on accident• Relationship between problem behavior remains intact

Escape Based Treatments

• DRA• Breaks are provided when a specified behavior is exhibited

• Usually (partial) task completion• Dots for Motivation example

• The relationship between appropriate behavior is emphasized.

• Problems:• Can be time consuming with some children

Escape Based Treatments• Breaks are provided when the child does not engage in

behavior for a specified period of time.• DRO (300) – A break is provided if no problem behavior occurs

over 5 minutes• Non-Resetting – either the break is earned or the next interval

occurs.• Resetting – if behavior occurs the time is reset.

• Problems: • Extinction component!!!• Low levels of reinforcement are possible (esp. resetting DRO)

Escape Based Treatments

• Escape Extinction• Problem behavior never results in breaks or assistance.• Oftentimes true escape extinction is a real “nag”• Not to be confused with physical guidance

• Some kids don’t mind• Serves as an aversive for others

• Directly addresses behavior problem• Upset child means its working