Providing noncontingent, alternative, functional reinforcers during delays following functional communication training
Give free, safe toys during a 10-minute post-FCR delay and you may not need any delay fading at all.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Two kids finished FCT. They could ask for a break with one word or card. The team then made them wait 10 minutes before giving the break.
Instead of fading the delay slowly, the kids got free, safe reinforcers during the wait. One child got bubbles. The other got a favorite train toy.
What they found
Problem behavior stayed near zero for both kids. No extra delay fading was needed.
The kids used the new toys and rarely asked for the break while they played.
How this fits with other research
Al-Jawahiri et al. (2019) pooled 28 studies and showed thinning works best when kids already talk well. Sumter keeps the same low behavior without thinning steps at all.
Boyle et al. (2021) added an activity schedule during thinning and also kept problem behavior low. Sumter swaps the schedule for free toys, giving you two choices to manage long waits.
Murphy et al. (2014) fixed kids who asked too much by blocking wrong cards. Sumter heads off that issue by giving kids something else to do, so the requests stay low from the start.
Why it matters
You can skip the long, step-by-step delay fade. Just place preferred, non-contingent toys or activities within reach after the FCR and watch the clock. Start with 10 minutes, keep data, and adjust only if problem behavior creeps up. This saves clinical time and keeps the learner happy while the schedule gets tough.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Functional Communication Training (FCT) involves arranging extinction for problem behavior and reinforcement for a more desirable, functionally equivalent, communicative response (FCR). Although effective under ideal arrangements, the introduction of delays to reinforcement following the FCR can result in increased problem behavior. Austin and Tiger (2015) showed that for individuals whose problem behavior was sensitive to multiple sources of reinforcement, providing access to alternative, functional reinforcers during delays mitigated this increase in problem behavior during delay fading. The current study replicated the procedures of Austin and Tiger with 2 individuals displaying multiply controlled problem behavior. Providing alternative functional reinforcers reduced problem behavior during 10-min delays for both participants without requiring delay fading.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2020 · doi:10.1002/jaba.708