John Northup

Relations between rate of negative reinforcement and the persistence of task completion

Research has shown that differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) can be an effective intervention to address problem behavior maintained by negative reinforcement emitted by young children. However, few studies have evaluated the variables that are related to long-term maintenance (i.e., persistence) of treatment effects. Research on behavioral persistence predicts that the rate of reinforcement provided for a target behavior is correlated with its persistence when challenged. There were 2 purposes of the current investigation. First, we evaluated the effects of the rate of negative reinforcement on the persistence of task completion. Second, we applied the findings regarding rate of reinforcement to a treatment context for 3 participants who engaged in destructive behavior that was reinforced by escape from demands. Results were evaluated within a multielement design and indicated that the rate of negative reinforcement had a moderate influence on the persistence of task completion. These results contribute to the existing literature by extending analyses of persistence to treatment contexts.

The STAR Program: A Description and Analysis of a Multifaceted Early Intervention for Young Children with a Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

This article describes the first 2 years of a comprehensive early intervention program for young children with a diagnosis of ADHD—the “STAR (Summer Treatment and Research) Program.” Following the program rationale and overview, case examples are presented to illustrate the use of various program components and some typical outcomes. In addition to providing a description of the treatment services for the children and their families, we also describe how the program affected clinical training, and the resources needed to create your own programs. Overall, the STAR early intervention program provided multiple benefits for the children and their families, as well as an excellent forum for preparing young professionals to conduct research and provide services for this population of children. Only short-term benefits have been demonstrated so far, so more sophisticated longitudinal research will be needed to evaluate potential long-term benefits associated with the program.