Descriptive assessment of problem behavior during transitions of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Problem behavior at transitions spikes when the next activity pays poorly — fatten the payoff first.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team watched the kids with ID or developmental delay during daily transitions.
They coded every problem behavior and what activity came next.
Observers used lag-sequential analysis to see if trouble predicted low-pay activities.
What they found
Kids acted out most when the next task gave little reinforcement.
Transitions to rich, fun activities rarely sparked problem behavior.
The pattern held across all three children.
How this fits with other research
Hansen et al. (1989) first showed typical kids notice reinforcer size. Castillo extends that idea to transitions in ID/DD.
Kang et al. (2013) reviewed which preference tests best predict reinforcers. Use their top picks to measure "density" before you plan transitions.
Pilowsky et al. (1998) found ADHD kids struggle under thin schedules. Castillo’s ID group looks similar: lean upcoming activities trigger trouble.
Dolezal et al. (2010) used the same lag-sequential method at mealtimes. Both studies prove brief descriptive data can spotlight moment-to-moment triggers.
Why it matters
Before you move a learner, ask: does the next spot pay off enough? If not, preload it with preferred items or embed high-rate reinforcement. This quick check can prevent escalation and save instructional time.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Transitions from one activity to another may evoke problem behavior from individuals with intellectual disabilities. One explanation for the occurrence of problem behavior could be the change in relative densities of reinforcement between the two activities. We conducted a descriptive assessment of problem behavior with four children during transitions to and from several different contexts. We observed that, in most cases, the probability of problem behavior was greater during a transition to an activity with a lower density of reinforcement than during a transition to an activity with a higher density of reinforcement. We discuss our findings in terms of problem behavior associated with transitions in activities with different reinforcer densities, as well as the possibility that the problem behavior may be associated with shifts in motivating operations.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2018 · doi:10.1002/jaba.430