Finding of previous research has shown that disruptive behavior can impair students’ academic success (Pierce, Reid, & Epstein, 2004), as well as increase teacher’s stress level (Westling, 2010). Class Pass Intervention (CPI) is a Tier 2 intervention designed to decrease disruptive behavior and increase academic engagement, however, thus far research on the effects of CPI has been limited to typically developing elementary and high school students with escape and attention-maintained problem behaviors. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to replicate and extend previous research on the effects of CPI on problem behavior and academic engagement however with students whose problem behavior was multiply-maintained. The study used a multiple baseline design to assess experimental control. In the current study, CPI led to a decrease in problem behavior and increase in academic engagement for two students with ADHD and one student at risk of ADHD, all of whom engaged in problem behavior maintained by escape, access to attention, or both. In addition, results of a social validity assessment completed with teachers and students indicated that the intervention was effective and easy, respectively.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether altering parameters of positive and negative reinforcement in identical ways could influence behavior maintained by each in different ways. Three undergraduate students participated in a series of assessments designed to identify preferred and aversive sounds with similar reinforcing values. Following reinforcer identification, we conducted parameter sensitivity assessments for both positive and negative reinforcers. Parameter manipulations influenced behavior in the same way across reinforcement processes for two participants. However, for one participant, the way in which parameter manipulations influenced behavior differed according to the reinforcement process. Our results suggest that, for at least some individuals, positive and negative sound reinforcement processes do not influence behavior in identical ways. Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed.

No description available.

Aversive tasks and activities are commonly encountered in the everyday routines of most individuals. For individuals with intellectual disabilities, a means to assess individual sensitivities to aversive stimulation could allow caregivers to avoid unnecessary contact with aversive events, teach appropriate ways to avoid or escape aversive situations, and condition tolerance to unavoidable aversive tasks and activities. The current study, conducted at a large, state-operated residential facility for adults with intellectual disabilities, used an anecdotal assessment, the Sensitivities to Aversive Stimulation Survey (SASS), to evaluate the relative aversiveness of an array of commonly encountered tasks and activities for each participant. Five caregivers complete the 25-question assessment, using Likert-type scales to rate individual participants' affect, compliance or tolerance, and severity of problem behavior related to each item. The mean scores of the raters were used to estimate the aversiveness of each task, condition, or activity. The outcomes from the SASS were then compared with outcomes of an experimental analysis in which participants could emit responses to escape situations that were ranked either high or low using the SASS. Relative aversiveness was evaluated by comparing the percentage of trials with escape behavior and duration of exposure for each stimulus. Preliminary results indicate that the SASS may be useful in identifying aversive tasks and stimuli.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T13:17:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Bruna Colombo dos Santos.pdf: 2237783 bytes, checksum: 9f1c5c6b60a5e8efe323aca64b99255d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-05-09 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Aversive control is a controversial domain inside Behavior Analysis. Classically, includes negative reinforcement (escape and avoidance) and punishment. However, the nomenclature aversive control is used to refer to a number of other behavioral phenomena (conditioned suppression, learned helplessness, etc.). Because it is a controversial domain, in theoretical and experimental areas, reveals itself as a significant issue for historical studies. It was not found a brazilian historical study that has taken the production on aversive control in the country as an object of study. Thus, this work had two objectives: (1) to characterize the researches about aversive control in Brazil, through the analysis of theses and dissertations produced in the country; (2) to analyze the researches on negative reinforcement (escape and avoidance), punishment and aversive control (researches that dealt with the issue in general), the point of view of definitions proposed, terminology used to refer to aversive events, main results, byproducts and application considerations about by-products and to application. To achieve these objectives, two studies were conducted. For the Study 1, were selected theses and dissertations between 1968 and 2010 in the following sources: Database of dissertations and theses in Behavior Analysis (BDTAC/Br); Brazilian Universities digital libraries; Bank of theses and dissertations from CAPES; and Lattes curricula. 98 theses and dissertations on aversive control were found. The universities where more studies were produced were: USP, PUC-SP, UnB, UFPA, USP-RP, and UEL. The vast majority of work was the basic type on uncontrollability/ learned helplessness. The subject more used was the rat; and aversive stimulus, the electric shock. For the Study 2, were selected, based on reading the abstracts of theses and dissertations selected for the Study 1, theses and dissertations on punishment, negative reinforcement (escape and avoidance) and aversive control. It were analyzed the definitions used, the authors in which this definition was based on, the terminology used to refer to events presented in aversive contingencies, the main results found, by-products and considerations for application. Punishment definitions of varied types were found: operational/positive; operational positive/negative; operational/positive and processual; operational/ positive and negative and processual; operational and processual. The definitions of negative reinforcement avoidance were: definitions of responses or avoidance behavior; definitions of avoidance procedures. The definitions about negative reinforcement in general encompassed the escape and avoidance process. The definitions of aversive control included negative reinforcement and punishment. Different authors were used in the definitions, and many have not cited authors. The most used term was aversive stimulus. Regarding the results it was observed variability, due to different research problems and methods. The works on aversive control in general were the ones that most discussed by-products and application / Controle aversivo é um domínio controverso dentro da Análise do Comportamento. Classicamente, engloba reforçamento negativo (fuga e esquiva) e punição. Entretanto, a nomenclatura controle aversivo é utilizada para se referir a uma série de outros fenômenos comportamentais (supressão condicionada, desamparo aprendido, etc). Por ser um domínio controverso, nos âmbitos teórico e experimental, revela-se tema relevante para estudos históricos. Não foi encontrado nenhum estudo histórico brasileiro que tenha tomado a produção sobre controle aversivo no país como objeto de estudo. Sendo assim, este trabalho teve dois objetivos: (1) caracterizar as pesquisas sobre controle aversivo no Brasil, por meio da análise de teses e dissertações produzidas no país; (2) analisar as pesquisas sobre reforçamento negativo (fuga e esquiva), punição e controle aversivo (pesquisas que trataram do tema em geral), do ponto de vista das definições propostas, terminologia empregada para se referir aos eventos aversivos, principais resultados, considerações sobre subprodutos e para aplicação. Para atingir esses objetivos foram realizados dois estudos. Para o Estudo 1, foram selecionadas teses e dissertações entre 1968 e 2010 nas seguintes fontes: Banco de Dados de Dissertações e Teses em Análise do Comportamento (BDTAC/Br); Bibliotecas digitais de universidades brasileiras; Banco de teses e dissertações da Capes; e Currículos Lattes. Foram encontradas 98 teses e dissertações sobre controle aversivo no Brasil. As universidades em que mais trabalhos foram produzidos foram: USP, PUC-SP, UnB, UFPA, USP-RP, e UEL. A grande maioria dos trabalhos foi do tipo básico, sobre incontrolabilidade/desamparo aprendido. O sujeito mais utilizado foi o rato; e o estímulo aversivo, o choque elétrico. Para o Estudo 2, foram selecionadas, com base na leitura dos resumos das teses e dissertações selecionadas para o Estudo 1, teses e dissertações sobre punição, reforçamento negativo (fuga e esquiva) e controle aversivo. Foram encontradas definições de punição de variados tipos: operacional/positiva; operacional/ positiva e negativa; operacional/ positiva e processual; operacional/positiva e negativa e processual; operacional e processual. As definições de reforçamento negativo - esquiva foram do tipo: definições de resposta ou comportamento de esquiva; definições de procedimentos de esquiva. As definições de reforçamento negativo em geral, englobaram os processos de fuga e esquiva. As definições de controle aversivo englobaram reforçamento negativo e punição. Autores distintos foram utilizados nas definições, sendo que muitas não citavam autores. O termo mais empregado para se referir ao evento aversivo utilizado foi estímulo aversivo. Com relação aos resultados observou-se variabilidade, decorrente de problemas de pesquisa e métodos distintos. Os trabalhos sobre controle aversivo em geral foram os que mais discutiram sobre subprodutos e aplicação

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T13:17:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Andre Thiago Saconatto.pdf: 1335559 bytes, checksum: 26f7f51bb4867b698b5040f981b17a2b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-05-11 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The goal of this study was to create a experimental analogue of negative reinforcement in metacontingencies. To achieve this goal, were carried out two experiments which used academic students as participants which were distributed in generations of three subjects each and the most ancient one in the experimental session was exchanged by a naive one throughout the experiment and each exchange was caracterized as a generation change. Each participant had to perform a task, which was to insert numbers from zero to nine in the empty boxes on the program s screen. In the first experiment the points were obtained through positive reinforcement, the criterion to obtain points were that the sum of the numbers inserted by the participants with the numbers presented by the program resulted in a uneven number in each of the columns. The bonus operated in a negative reinforcement analogue, the criterion which avoided the bonus loss were that the sum of the numbers inserted by the participant, in the last two generations, a extinction phase was conducted. In the second experiment, the poins operated on negative reinforcement, the criterion which avoid the point loss were the same criterion which produced points in the first experiment. The bonus operated in a positive reinforcement analogue, the criterion which produced bonus was the same which avoided the bonus loss in the first experiment. The selection by/of metacontingencies occurred in the seventh generation on the first experiment and on the first generation on the second experiment. In both experiments in the extinction phases the interlocking contingencies which was selected did not occurred / O presente estudo teve como objetivo realizar um análogo experimental de reforçamento negativo em metacontingências. Foram realizados dois experimentos com participantes universitários que foram distribuídos em gerações de três participantes cada e o participante mais antigo na sessão experimental era substituído por um participante ingênuo ao longo do experimento, e cada troca caracterizava uma mudança de geração. A tarefa de cada participante era inserir números de 0 a 9 nas janelas vazias na tela do programa. No primeiro experimento os pontos eram obtidos via reforçamento positivo, o critério para obtenção de pontos era que a soma dos números inseridos pelos participantes com os apresentados pelo programa fosse um número ímpar em cada uma das colunas. O bônus funcionava em um análogo de reforçamento negativo, o critério para que o bônus não fosse perdido foi a soma dos números digitados pelo participante da linhagem da esquerda tinha que ser menor que a soma dos números digitados pelo participante da linhagem do centro que deveria ser menor que a soma dos números digitados pelo participante da linhagem da direita, nas duas últimas gerações foram realizados fases de extinção. No segundo experimento, os pontos funcionavam em reforçamento negativo, o critério que evitava a perda de pontos foi o mesmo critério que produzia os pontos no primeiro experimento. Os bônus eram obtidos por um análogo de reforçamento positivo, o critério para obtenção de bônus era o mesmo que evitava a perda de bônus no primeiro experimento, neste experimento também foram conduzidos fases de extinção nas últimas gerações. A seleção de\por metacontingências ocorreu na sétima geração no experimento 1 e na primeira geração no experimento 2. Em ambos os experimentos nas fases de extinção o entrelaçamento selecionado deixou de ocorrer

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T13:17:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Patricia Nogueira Azevedo.pdf: 3065901 bytes, checksum: 01828ef21534ce60a06f95f4854b6812 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-20 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Plan contingencies of reinforcement in the school context involves a number of variables that must be analyzed and taken into account. Therefore, invest in the analysis of contingencies that produce effective teaching that can assist teachers in the exercise of its function becomes essential. This work aimed to investigate the effects of contingencies of positive reinforcement and punishment / negative reinforcement on the answer of children in arithmetic activities. The participants were eight students of 1st and 2nd years of elementary school. To perform the experiment was developed a computer application, with which participants perform arithmetic accounts (addition or subtraction) of two digits, no loan. The participants were divided randomly into four groups of two participants each, which underwent four experimental conditions, two baselines - addition or subtraction operations without reinforcement - and two experimental conditions - Positive Reinforcement with addition operation or Positive Reinforcement with subtraction operation and Negative Reinforcement with addition operation or Negative Reinforcement with subtraction operation. The number of accounts held and the amount of hits and misses of each participant in each session were assessed. The results showed that both contingency positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement can produce changes in the answer of the participants, that is, children learn when subjected to two types of contingencies tested in this study, it is not possible to claim that one produces better results than the other in terms of student learning. There was also an increase in the number of hits as much as the addition of the subtraction operations independently of the contingency effect. Identifies the need for more work to research the relationship between teaching conditions and their products, which can help in the development of new teaching procedures that favor learning / Planejar contingências de reforçamento no contexto escolar envolve uma série de variáveis que devem ser analisadas e levadas em consideração. Para tanto, investir na análise de contingências que produzam ensino efetivo que possa auxiliar professores no exercício de sua função torna-se imprescindível. Este trabalho teve o objetivo de investigar os efeitos de contingências de reforçamento positivo e de punição/reforçamento negativo sobre o responder de crianças em atividades de aritmética. Participaram da pesquisa oito alunos de 1º e 2º anos do ensino fundamental. Para realização do experimento foi desenvolvido um aplicativo de computador, com o qual os participantes realizam contas aritméticas (operações de soma ou subtração) de dois dígitos, sem empréstimo. Os participantes foram divididos, de forma aleatória, em quatro grupos de dois participantes cada, que passaram por quatro condições experimentais, sendo duas linhas de base - Operações de Soma ou Subtração sem reforçamento - e duas condições experimentais - Reforçamento Positivo com Operação de Soma ou Reforçamento Positivo com Operação de Subtração e Reforçamento Negativo com Operação de Soma ou Reforçamento Negativo com Operação de Subtração. Foram avaliadas a quantidade de contas realizadas e a quantidade de acertos e erros de cada participante a cada sessão. Os resultados demonstraram que tanto contingências de reforçamento positivo quanto negativo podem produzir alterações no responder dos participantes, ou seja, as crianças aprendem quando submetidas aos dois tipos de contingências testadas neste estudo, não sendo possível a afirmação de que uma delas produza melhores resultados do que a outra em termos da aprendizagem dos alunos. Verificou-se, também, um aumento no número de acertos tanto nas operações de soma quanto de subtração, independentemente da contingência em efeito. Identifica-se a necessidade de mais trabalhos que pesquisem a relação entre as contingências de ensino e seus produtos, o que pode ajudar no desenvolvimento de novos procedimentos de ensino que favoreçam o aprendizado

Research on aversive control of behaviour has dramatically declined over the past decades. This trend is primarily a consequence of an over-reliance on shock-based procedures, which have been increasingly criticized on ethical, practical, and ecological validity grounds. The continued study of aversive regulation thus requires the development of viable alternatives. Six preliminary experiments, triggered by serendipitous observations of Betta splendens’ reactions to unintended water disturbances, allowed for (a) developing a water flows (WFs) experimental paradigm; (b) confirming the aversive function of WFs; and (c) demonstrating the feasibility of the WFs paradigm as an alternative to the use of electric shock, as it does not involve painful stimulation and carries a higher level of inherent ecological validity. Based on the relevance of free-operant avoidance phenomena (Sidman, 1953a) for the study of aversive control, the fact that these have only been demonstrated in one fish species (goldfish) using shocks, and that the only attempt to show another form of avoidance in Betta splendens produced inconclusive results (Otis & Cerf, 1963), the WFs paradigm was implemented in two experiments aimed at addressing these issues. These studies were aligned with a research program on spatiotemporal analysis of behaviour that has demonstrated, over the course of several decades, that a comprehensive understanding of behavioural processes requires an approach that includes, but is not limited to, the study of rates of discrete responses (e.g., key pecks of a pigeon). Accordingly, a more holistic interpretation of experimental data than is typical for behavioural studies was attained through a combined analysis of the frequency and temporal distribution of a target response (crossings in a shuttle-tank), patterns of swimming trajectories, instances and durations of the aversive stimulus, and the occurrence of behaviour related to different features of the experimental tank. In Experiment 1, Betta splendens exposed to a free-operant avoidance procedure reliably escaped WFs but did not develop avoidance behaviour even though escape improved with practice. Moreover, adding a warning stimulus (curtains of air bubbles - CABs) to the free-operant procedure did not produce increments in avoidance behaviour, as has been demonstrated in other species. Considering these findings, Experiment 2 maintained the same free-operant avoidance contingencies, but escape responses were now scheduled to produce the WFs (punishment and extinction of escape). The result of this manipulation was not a substantial decrease of escape, but an initial large increase of this response, followed by a progressive decrease to approximately pre-punishment levels. In addition, punishment did not result in increased avoidance responding as an alternative response. The explanations for these unexpected findings relate to the duration of the CABs; sign- and goal-tracking effects; uncontrolled stimulation produced by water pump activation/operation; unintended reinforcement (mirror reflections and delay between the pump activation and WFs reaching full strength); and the development of responses that allowed the fish to reduce their exposure to high-intensity WFs (i.e., alternative behaviour). The need for investigating the effects of adjusting the WF procedures to the ecology and biology of Betta splendens is also discussed, particularly in regard to their territoriality and predominant defensive response (immobility) in relation to the experimental apparatuses and the target response (changing compartments).

研究目的 本研究的目的是要藉由線索暴露的實驗典範,探索長期使用安眠藥物 之患者對於安眠藥物相關刺激的注意力偏誤現象,並根據 Baker 及其同事們 (2004)與其他學者所提出的「藥物動機理論的情感模型」,強調負向情感在長 期使用安眠藥物的失眠患者所扮演的角色,本研究另欲探討長期使用失眠藥物的 患者是否在負向的情緒下能引發其對安眠藥物有更多的注意力及反應偏誤,並以 oddball 實驗典範來引發測量大腦皮質 ERP 波的注意力偏誤現象,並試圖以主觀 渴求問卷來測量個案是否在負向情感下有較強烈的主觀渴求反應。 方法 研究之有效樣本為 13 人。其中男性 5 人,女性 8 人,年齡介於 23-54 歲 (34.15 ± 11.07),參與研究之受試者會進行兩晚之實驗及多頻道睡眠生理檢查, 實驗情境分成基礎情境及挫折情境,在挫折情境中,受試者在進行較困難之認知 作業的同時,研究者會給予負向之指導語以進行情緒之操弄;而在基礎情境則給 予中性之指導語。在認知作業進行之後,開始進行線索暴露之 ERP 測量,受試 者須判斷圖片是否含有動物(目標刺激),另包含中性圖片刺激(96 張)、睡眠 相關刺激(32 張)及藥物相關刺激(32 張)。另外在認知測驗及線索暴露的前後 也會測量受試者之情緒狀態及主觀渴求狀態。研究分析以多變量變異數分析進行 檢驗。 結果 長期使用安眠藥物的患者相較於中性刺激,其對於藥物圖片刺激及睡眠相 關刺激皆有較大之 P300 及 SPW 腦波振幅。未在研究中驗證 Baker 等人提出之負 增強處理模式之因果關係,但發現,在基礎情境中,當受試者的正向情緒減少愈 多,受試者在單一題項渴求程度減少愈少;而負向情緒與其他的渴求指標較具有 相關性,研究發現當負向情緒增加愈多,單一題項渴求程度增加愈多,對藥物效 果的期待也愈高,對藥物的欲求與所帶來欣快感也會愈高,顯示情緒的改變於主 觀渴求狀態的相關性。此外本研究結果顯示客觀的腦波指標與部分主觀感受顯著 相關,其中 P300 與其對藥物的渴求程度呈正相關。 結論 無論是在基礎情境或挫折情境,長期使用安眠藥物之患者對安眠藥刺激及 睡眠相關刺激皆有注意力偏誤之現象,且此注意力偏誤現象與其對藥物的渴求程 度具有一定程度之相關性。在挫折情境中,受試者對藥物之主觀渴求有較大的傾向。 / Introduction The major goal of this study is to examine the phenomenon of craving in hypnotic use. The Affective Processing Model of Negative Reinforcement (Baker, Piper, McCarthy, Majeskie, & Fiore, 2004) suggests that negative affect would influence drug use through the change of cognitive process to a “hot information processing” and therefore increase the craving for drug use. The study explores the effects of negative affect on attentional bias and subjective craving associated with hypnotic use to test this model. Method Thirteen long-term hypnotic users were included in this study. They came to the sleep laboratory for two nights for an experimental night in which negative affect was induced by giving negative comments on their performance on a cognitive task and a control night with exactly the same procedure except that the negative comments was replaced by neutral comments. For both nights, craving was assessed with subjective ratings and measure of attentional bias with recording of event-related potentials (ERPs) induced by pictures related to hypnotic use, sleep and neutral pictures. Result The amplitude of P300 and SPW for sleep related pictures and hypnotic related pictures are significant larger than the amplitude for neutral pictures in both conditions. Also, results show that the picture of P300 are positively correlated with subjective craving for hypnotic drugs. Moreover, the data shows the tendency of condition difference in subjective craving. Conclusion The hypnotic long-term users do show attentional bias for sleep related and hypnotic related pictures. However, the result does not show more attentional bias for hypnotic related pictures in stressful situation. On the other hand, the data shows a tendency that the subjective craving is stronger in stressful situation than in baseline situation. The findings show only partial support for the Affective Processing Model of Negative Reinforcement.

Parent training, utilizing the principles of applied behavior analysis to teach effective parenting skills, is a widely used intervention to decrease child behavior problems. The extent to which these interventions are successful in improving behavior, and the degree to which the effects are maintained, relies heavily on the behavior of the parent after the completion of the training. Research suggests that parents' ability to use the skills taught during training diminishes over time. One variable suggested to contribute to parent nonadherence is negative reinforcement. To further investigate, the current study first taught parents correct implementation of a time out procedure, then through a series of practice sessions, manipulated role-player behavior in an attempt to directly observe and measure the effects of negative reinforcement on parent integrity. However, due to lack of responding and contact with the contingency, the effects of negative reinforcement could not be assessed. The investigation did corroborate previous evidence on the effectiveness of the parent-training model used to teach participants the time out protocol. Several areas of future research are presented for parent training and collecting in-home naturalistic observations to assess parent and child behavior.