Overview

The course will introduce the theoretical foundations of operant learning. The content is drawn from the BCBA Task List (5th Edition), Section 2: Applications , Content Areas G: Behaviour Change Procedures and H: Selecting and Implementing Interventions 1-5

1 Use positive and negative reinforcement procedures to strengthen behavior. 2 Use interventions based on motivating operations and discriminative stimuli. 3 Establish and use conditioned reinforcers. 4 Use stimulus and response prompts and fading (e.g., errorless, most-to-least, least-to-most, prompt delay, stimulus fading). 5 Use modeling and imitation training. 6 Use instructions and rules. 7 Use shaping. 8 Use chaining. 9 Use discrete-trial, free-operant, and naturalistic teaching arrangements. 10 Teach simple and conditional discriminations. 11 Use Skinner’s analysis to teach verbal behavior. 12 Use equivalence-based instruction. 13 Use the high-probability instructional sequence. 14 Use reinforcement procedures to weaken behavior (e.g., DRA, FCT, DRO, DRL, NCR). 15 Use extinction. 16 Use positive and negative punishment (e.g., time-out, response cost, overcorrection). 17 Use token economies. 18 Use group contingencies. 19 Use contingency contracting. 20 Use self-management strategies.G-21 Use procedures to promote stimulus and response generalisation. 22 Use procedures to promote maintenance. 23 State intervention goals in observable and measurable terms. 24 Identify potential interventions based on assessment results and the best available scientific evidence. 25 Recommend intervention goals and strategies based on such factors as client preferences, supporting environments, risks, constraints, and social validity. 26 When a target behavior is to be decreased, select an acceptable alternative behavior to be established or increased. 27 Plan for possible unwanted effects when using reinforcement, extinction, and punishment procedures.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will consider how the foundations of behaviour analysis can be applied to facilitate meaningful behaviour change.

• Students will critically analyse peer reviewed literature to inform the techniques they select in behaviour change procedures.

• Students will explain how they select techniques in clinical practice.

• Students will explain how to conduct common behaviour change procedures in behaviour analysis to teach new behaviours and weaken problem behaviours.