Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is a core principle in Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA), a therapeutic approach widely used to help people, particularly those with autism, improve specific behaviours. Positive reinforcement involves the addition of a rewarding stimulus that directly follows a desired behaviour, which increases the likelihood of that behaviour occurring again in the future.

Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Desired Behaviour Identification

The first step is to identify the specific behaviour that needs to be encouraged. This could be anything from making eye contact to completing a task - ABA is very versatile and can be applied to many different behaviours across many different clients.

Choosing a Reinforcer 

 A reinforcer is something that is motivating or rewarding for the individual. This could be a tangible item like a toy or food, a social reward like praise or a hug, or an activity like playing a game or watching a favourite show.

Timing of Reinforcement

For reinforcement to be effective, it needs to be given immediately or very soon after the desired behaviour occurs. This helps the individual make a clear connection between the behaviour and the reward.

Consistency

Consistently applying the positive reinforcement whenever the desired behaviour occurs is crucial. Over time, this consistency helps solidify the behaviour.

Fading and Generalisation

As the behaviour becomes more consistent, the reinforcement can be gradually reduced or "faded." The goal is for the behaviour to continue even when the reinforcement is less frequent or varied. Additionally, the behaviour should be encouraged in different settings to ensure it generalises beyond the initial context.

Learn how, Alex, our Speech and Behaviour Specialist who specialises in ABA techniques has implemented positive reinforcement with a client they have worked with:

‘One of the ways that I've delivered positive reinforcement with a client that I've worked with in a school was using a token board which helps to break down a larger task into smaller, more manageable parts. The goal for the client is to complete ten target behaviours, receiving a token for each before they receive a reinforcer of their choice, such as taking a short break from work, preferred food items or playing a short game with myself. The tasks that need to be completed are very flexible, from completing maths problems to asking for help and having appropriate interactions with peers. Once ten of the tokens are filled up on the board, I give my client access to the reinforcer before we eventually return to work and the token board process starts again to assist my client in completing their work!’.

In summary, positive reinforcement in ABA is about adding a desired stimulus following a desired behaviour to increase the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated. It’s a powerful tool for behaviour change because it relies on motivating the individual through rewards that are meaningful to them. There is no reason why you can’t implement some of these techniques at home. If you’d like help doing so please email us at shanay.nj@headstartaba.org.

At HeadStart we understand the importance of providing information in accessible formats to meet the diverse needs of our service users. We can provide information in different forms for example in another language, large print, easy-read materials, and technologies such as text-to-speech or audio. To request information in another format, contact us by phone or email. Shanay.nj@headstartaba.org or mobile 07988860033.