We evaluated the effects of providing positive reinforcement for task completion, signaled via the presence of a tangible item, on escape-maintained problem behavior displayed by three typically developing children during one-time 90-min outpatient evaluations. Brief functional analyses of problem behavior, conducted within a multielement design,…

The effects of a presession exposure to attention on responding during subsequent assessment of attention as a reinforcer were evaluated across three behavioral assessments. In each experiment, the children responded differentially within the test condition according to the presence or absence of dense schedule of attention immediately prior to…

Choice-making produces were used to identify response-reinforcer relations during assessment and treatment phases with two children (ages 4-6) with pervasive development disorders who displayed severe behavioral problems. Results were used to develop preliminary treatment packages in which access to positive reinforcement was contingent on…