Recently, there has been an increase on the insistence that evidence-based methods be used when working among children with challenging behaviors and autism (Horner, Carr, Halle, McGee, Odom, & Wolery, 2005; National Research Council, 2001). In addition, the current trends of Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) and Response to Intervention (RtI) advocate for preventative and proactive strategies (Coleman, Buysse, & Neitzel, 2006). The integration of these trends with the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis offer procedural options to improve socially significant behavior among children (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 1987). Ethical conversations support the need for reinforcement based procedures particularly within applied settings (Lerman, Vorndran, Addison, & Contrucci Kuhn, 2004).
The purpose of this study was to extend the evidence-based literature on reinforcement based protocols when diminishing behaviors. The DRO with an embedded token economy treatment package explored the efficacy of scripted instruction and praise among two school aged participants with autism. A whole interval DRO procedure was utilized with interresponse times determined on a weekly basis to enhance feasibility for applied practitioners. If a target behavior occurred during the interresponse time, an interval reset application was applied and scripted instruction was verbally administered.
Results found that upon application of the treatment package, target behaviors significantly reduced while the embedded token economy, on a three to one ratio, was found to maintain near zero rates of target behaviors between both participants. The utilization of intermittent praise was thought to support near zero behavior rates as participants worked towards accumulating three tokens. Treatment integrity was monitored throughout the intervention with data supporting the ease in application for applied practitioners. The DRO with an embedded token economy treatment package was found to be efficacious for reducing target behaviors and maintaining near zero rates among children with autism in a special education classroom; holding potential as a simplistic, reinforcement based treatment option.