Differential Reinforcement Without Extinction: Current Research, Practice Implications, and Future Directions becomes clinically important the moment a team has to turn good intentions into reliable action inside case conceptualization, intervention design, staff training, and literature-informed problem solving. In Differential Reinforcement Without Extinction: Current Research, Practice Implications, and Future Directions, for this course, the practical stakes show up in stronger conceptual consistency and better translational decision making, not in abstract discussion alone.
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Join Free →Differential reinforcement of alternative (DRA) behavior is an empirically supported function-based intervention for treating challenging behavior (Petscher et al., 2009). Typically, DRA teaches the individual to engage in an alternative response to access the functional reinforcer, and the challenging behavior is placed on extinction (Greer et al., 2016). Although extinction has been shown to be a critical component in some DRA applications (e.g., Fisher et al., 2000; Hagopian et al., 1998), arranging extinction for challenging behavior may be impractical or unsafe under some conditions (Athens & Vollmer, 2010). As such, a growing body of research has begun to explore the conditions under which DRA without extinction may be an effective alternative (e.g., Briggs et al., 2019). This approach conceptualizes DRA in a concurrent-operant arrangement and recommends maximizing reinforcement for the alternative response and minimizing reinforcement for the challenging behavior (e.g., Vollmer et al., 2020). This presentation aims to (a) orient the audience to the conceptual framework of DRA without extinction, (b) examine the available research literature supporting this approach, (c) review considerations for implementing DRA without extinction in practice, and (d) discuss directions for future research in this area.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | General |
| COA | 1 | — |
Dr. Adam Briggs is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the Doctoral Level (BCBA-D) and a licensed behavior analyst in Michigan. Dr. Briggs earned his PhD in Behavioral Psychology from the Department of Applied Behavioral Science (ABS) at the University of Kansas (KU) under the mentorship of Dr. Claudia Dozier and was the recipient of the 2016 KU ABS Baer, Wolf, and Risley Outstanding Graduate Student Award for excellence in teaching, research, and service and the 2017 APA Division 25 SEAB Applied Dissertation Award. Dr. Briggs completed a two-year Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Munroe-Meyer Institute’s Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders under the mentorship of Dr. Wayne Fisher.Dr. Briggs is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Eastern Michigan University (EMU), where he directs the Behavior Analysis Research Laboratory. His Research Lab is interested in (a) improving the safety, efficiency, and validity of functional assessment methods, (b) determining the variables that prevent relapse of challenging behavior and promote maintenance and generalization of treatment effects, and (c) developing effective training strategies for efficiently teaching caregivers and professionals to implement and adhere to behavioral interventions with high procedural fidelity. Dr. Briggs received the 2023 Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Faculty: Research I Award and the 2024 B. F. Skinner Foundation New Researcher Award. Both awards recognize the important and innovative work being completed within the lab.Dr. Briggs has published over 30 peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters and has been invited to present on these topics at state, regional, and international conferences. He is a current Associate Editor (AE) for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA), a past AE for Behavior Analysis in Practice (BHAP) and Education and Treatment of Children, and has served on the editorial boards for JABA and BHAP. In addition, Dr. Briggs currently serves as Co-Chair for the Severe Behavior Consortium of Michigan, Chairs the Nominations and Elections Committee for APA Division 25, and is a Co-Coordinator for ABAI’s Developmental Disabilities (DDA) Program Area.
Dig into the research behind this topic — plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
280 research articles with practitioner takeaways
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
258 research articles with practitioner takeaways
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.