Understanding behavior reduction is critical in ABA therapy. In Unit D, Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) learn how to help decrease challenging or harmful behaviors using ethical, evidence-based strategies. RBTs work under a BCBA’s guidance to ensure that reduction plans are safe, respectful, and effective.
📌 D‑01: Identify Essential Components of a Written Behavior Reduction Plan
A Behavior Reduction Plan (BRP) is a step-by-step guide designed to decrease problem behaviors and teach alternative skills.
✅ Key Components of a Behavior Reduction Plan:
- Operational Definition of the behavior: Clear and measurable (e.g., “Aggression is defined as hitting others with a closed fist.”)
- Function of the Behavior: Why the behavior happens (e.g., attention-seeking, escape, access to tangibles, sensory).
- Antecedent Strategies: What to do before the behavior to prevent it (e.g., offering choices, modifying tasks).
- Replacement Behaviors: What appropriate behavior will be taught instead.
- Consequence Strategies: What to do after the behavior occurs (e.g., planned ignoring, redirection).
- Crisis Plan: Instructions for responding to dangerous behavior safely.
- Reinforcement Plan: How appropriate behavior will be encouraged.
🧠 Example: For tantrums caused by escaping tasks, the BRP might include offering breaks proactively and teaching the client to request “break” instead.
📌 D‑02: Describe Common Functions of Behavior
Understanding why a behavior occurs is the foundation of behavior reduction.
✅ The Four Functions of Behavior (SEAT):
- Sensory: The behavior feels good or meets a sensory need (e.g., hand-flapping).
- Escape: The behavior helps avoid or delay something undesirable (e.g., running away from tasks).
- Attention: The behavior gains social interaction or reaction (e.g., yelling to get noticed).
- Tangible: The behavior gets access to something (e.g., candy, toy, iPad).
🧠 Pro Tip: Different functions require different strategies — you must never use the same consequence for every behavior.
📌 D‑03: Describe Antecedent Strategies
Antecedents are what happen before a behavior. By manipulating antecedents, you can prevent problem behaviors from occurring.
Examples of Antecedent Strategies:
- Visual Schedules to increase predictability.
- Providing Choices to give clients control.
- Priming: Letting a client know what’s coming.
- Offering Breaks before frustration builds up.
- Modifying Tasks (e.g., reducing length or difficulty).
🧠 Example: If a client throws tantrums before writing, offering a choice between pencil colors can increase compliance and reduce resistance.
📌 D‑04: Implement Discriminative Stimulus Control Strategies
Discriminative Stimulus (SD) strategies involve teaching clients to behave differently based on different cues or environments.
🧠 Example: A green card means “start work,” while a red card means “wait.” Over time, the client learns to respond only when the SD is present.
These strategies increase stimulus control, where the presence of a cue reliably elicits a specific behavior.
📌 D‑05: Implement Differential Reinforcement Procedures (DRA, DRO, DRI)
Differential Reinforcement involves reinforcing a desirable behavior while withholding reinforcement for undesired ones.
Types of Differential Reinforcement:
- DRA (Alternative): Reinforce a better alternative behavior.
- Example: Reinforce asking for help instead of yelling.
- DRI (Incompatible): Reinforce a behavior that can’t happen at the same time as the problem behavior.
- Example: Reinforce sitting (which is incompatible with running away).
- DRO (Other): Reinforce any other behavior except the problem one for a specific period.
- Example: Reinforce every 2 minutes the client goes without hitting.
📌 Tip: Reinforcement must be immediate and meaningful to the client.
📌 D‑06: Implement Extinction Procedures
Extinction means withholding reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior, making it less likely to occur.
🧠 Example: If a child screams for attention and you ignore the behavior (withholding attention), over time, the behavior decreases.
⚠️ Be prepared for:
- Extinction Burst: Temporary increase in behavior.
- Emotional Response: Frustration or aggression.
- Spontaneous Recovery: The behavior may randomly occur again later.
Extinction should always be part of a comprehensive plan and used with replacement behaviors and reinforcement strategies.
📌 D‑07: Implement Crisis/Emergency Procedures According to Protocol
If a behavior poses a serious threat to the client or others (e.g., self-injury, aggression), follow the specific crisis planoutlined by your supervisor.
Do:
- Stay calm and professional.
- Use approved safety techniques (e.g., blocking, guiding).
- Follow reporting procedures: document incidents accurately and immediately.
📌 Important: Never use restraint or seclusion unless explicitly trained and authorized. Always prioritize safety and ethics.
✅ Wrap-Up
Unit D helps you understand and carry out ethical, function-based interventions to reduce challenging behaviors. As an RBT, your role is to:
- Recognize the why behind behaviors.
- Prevent behaviors using proactive strategies.
- Reinforce positive alternatives.
- Respond appropriately and follow written plans.
- Protect client dignity and safety at all times.
📝 Ready to review this unit? Take the Behavior Reduction Quiz below to test your understanding of functional behavior strategies, differential reinforcement, and crisis procedures!