A descriptive analysis of family discussions about everyday problems and decisions.
Train parents to say agreements and if-then lines during problem talk; it keeps the chain going.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team watched four families eat dinner at home. They filmed every talk about problems like who walks the dog or what to watch on TV.
They counted each solution idea and any clear agreement words like "okay" or "deal." They also noted contingency lines such as "If you do the dishes, I will drive you tomorrow."
What they found
Families who said more solution lines also said more agreements. The agreements showed up both before and after the solutions.
The same families used more contingency language. The pattern held across many nights, showing a steady operant chain.
How this fits with other research
Nickerson et al. (2015) review shows child behavior can pull parent behavior along. The 1991 data fit that view: once a parent offers a solution, the child (or partner) often agrees, which then keeps the talk going.
Wahler (1969) proved that home-based contingencies change child behavior only at home. The 1991 study widens the lens, showing that everyday family talk itself is a contingency system.
Capio et al. (2013) later used the same idea with ASD families. Parents learned to state clear if-then lines during play, cutting problem behavior. The 1991 paper gives the basic map they built on.
Why it matters
When you coach parents, do not stop at teaching solutions. Prompt them to say "yes" or "deal" right after the child offers an idea, then add a clear if-then line. This tiny loop keeps the talk moving and raises the chance the plan sticks.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Skinner's Verbal Behavior (1957) and "An operant analysis of problem solving" (1966) were used to develop a coding system to analyze the relationships between verbal behaviors in family problem solving discussions. Taking solution statements as a target behavior, sequential relationships were examined with both subsequent and antecedent verbal behaviors, comparing families with higher and lower rates of solution statements. Results indicated that two categories of verbal behavior occurred both subsequent and antecedent to solution statements more frequently in families with higher frequencies of solution statements: Agreements and contingency statements. Results are discussed in terms of an operant theory of problem solving in which agreements may serve as reinforcers for solutions and contingency statements may serve as discriminative stimuli.
The Analysis of verbal behavior, 1991 · doi:10.1007/BF03392858