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The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of extinction when the reinforcer was present versus absent. These effects were examined with 2 human operant procedures (i.e., a computer program and a mechanical apparatus) with college students as participants. Discriminable properties of the apparatus appeared to influence responding during extinction. In general, responding during extinction was less likely with the mechanical apparatus when the reinforcer was absent and more likely with the computer program.

The purpose of these studies was to extend the use of stimulus preference assessments to children in foster care. In Study 1, subjects completed a computerized 4‐point Likert‐type questionnaire designed to assess preference for a wide range of stimuli and activities. Next, items identified as highly preferred (HP) and less preferred (LP) on the questionnaire were tested using a computerized paired‐stimulus preference assessment. Results showed complete correspondence between the results of the computerized preference assessments for 11 of 17 subjects. Studies 2 and 3 evaluated whether the stimuli identified as HP in Study 1 would function as reinforcers. Overall, subjects allocated their engagement to HP items, and those HP items could be used as reinforcers for math problem completion. Collectively, these studies demonstrated that computerized preference assessments may be a feasible method of identifying preferences in the foster care system. Implications for their use in foster care are discussed.

Although researchers have evaluated assessment methods for identifying preferred tangible and edible items for children with developmental disabilities, few have evaluated assessment methods for identifying preferred topographies of attention. In the current study, indirect and direct assessments were conducted to identify 7 topographies of attention to include in subsequent preference and reinforcer assessments. Two different assessment formats were evaluated until reliable results were achieved with 1 of them. In both formats, a therapist presented photos that depicted the topographies of attention included in the stimulus array, and a control card (resulting in no consequence) was included. After evaluation of the 2 formats, a reinforcer assessment was conducted with a socially relevant target behavior (i.e., mands) to determine the predictive validity of the preference assessments.

Recent literature reviews have highlighted the need to better understand the relation between speaker and listener behavior when teaching learners with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The current study used a modified parallel‐treatments design to compare directly the degree to which tact and listener behavior emerged during instruction in the opposite relation for 4 children with ASD. Results showed tact training to be either equally or more efficient than listener training for all participants. However, varied patterns of emergent responding across participants indicate a need for further research. Data on collateral responding during instruction did not suggest that the presence or absence of overt collateral behaviors were predictive of emergence. The results highlight the importance for clinicians and educators to assess emergent tact and listener repertoires periodically.

In an attempt to address risk factors associated with extensive nonfamilial child care, we implemented the preschool life skills (PLS) program (Hanley, Heal, Tiger, & Ingvarsson, 2007) in two community‐based Head Start classrooms. A multiple baseline design across classrooms, repeated across skills, showed that the program resulted in a 5‐fold increase in PLS and an accompanying reduction in problem behavior, replicating the effects observed by Hanley et al. (2007).

The Relational Completion Procedure is effective for establishing same, opposite and comparative derived relations in verbally able adults, but to date it has not been used to establish relational frames in young children or those with developmental delay. In Experiment 1, the Relational Completion Procedure was used with the goal of establishing two 3‐member sameness networks in nine individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (eight with language delay). A multiple exemplar intervention was employed to facilitate derived relational responding when required. Seven of nine participants in Experiment 1 passed tests for derived relations. In Experiment 2, eight participants (all of whom, except one, had a verbal repertoire) were given training with the aim of establishing two 4‐member sameness networks. Three of these participants were typically developing young children aged between 5 and 6 years old, all of whom demonstrated derived relations, as did four of the five participants with developmental delay. These data demonstrate that it is possible to reliably establish derived relations in young children and those with developmental delay using an automated procedure.

Wilson and Hayes (1996) and Doughty, Kastner, and Bismark (2011) observed resurgence of past equivalence relations when newer equivalence relations were punished or extinguished, respectively. Their findings support the notion that deriving stimulus relations is a form of operant behavior. Although there is consensus regarding the operant nature of deriving untrained stimulus relations, the necessary and sufficient conditions that establish these relations remain unclear. For example, in the aforementioned work, the resurgent equivalence relations were tested earlier in each study. The present research investigated whether this resurgence of equivalence relations requires their initial testing. In Experiment 1, college students received arbitrary matching‐to‐sample training in Phase 1. After these baseline discriminations were established, equivalence testing was omitted. In Phase 2, four 4‐member equivalence classes were established that were inconsistent with the Phase‐1 training. These Phase‐2 relations then were extinguished to test whether the equivalence relations consistent with Phase‐1 training would occur. Unlike in earlier research, these untested relations did not occur reliably. This finding was replicated in Experiment 2, and additional tests of stimulus relatedness did not reveal any evidence of derived stimulus relations consistent with the Phase‐1 training. The present research extends other findings suggesting that the equivalence‐testing context helps establish these stimulus classes.

Bruxism is defined as the clenching and grinding of teeth. This study used a functional analysis to examine whether the bruxism of a 16‐year‐old girl with autism was maintained by automatic reinforcement or social consequences. A subsequent component analysis of the intervention package described by Barnoy, Najdowski, Tarbox, Wilke, and Nollet (2009) showed that a vocal reprimand (e.g., “stop grinding”) effectively reduced the participant's bruxism. Results were maintained across time, and effects extended to novel staff members.

This study evaluated the assessment and treatment of problem behaviors related to rituals for children with autism. After functional analyses, we used a multiple‐probe design to examine the effects of functional communication training (FCT) plus extinction and schedule thinning as a treatment package for problem behavior and appropriate communication for 3 children. Results of the functional analyses suggested that problem behavior was maintained by reinstatement of the interrupted routine for all participants, and the treatment package reduced problem behavior. Generalization across activities was observed for 1 participant.

Reforço condicionado, tema de estudos há mais de 60 anos, é um estímulo que tem sua função reforçadora estabelecida a partir da relação de contingência com outro reforçador. No entanto, apesar da simplicidade da definição, diferentes e refinadas metodologias são utilizadas para investigar os efeitos de reforçadores condicionados, o que, consequentemente, ocasiona em diferentes medidas. Alguns estudos têm investigado as relações entre as funções reforçadora e discriminativa, tais como estudos que utilizaram o procedimento de observação. O objetivo do presente trabalho é apresentar alguns estudos tradicionais sobre o tema a fim de discutir a respeito das relações entre as funções reforçadora e discriminativa. Questiona-se a respeito da participação do estímulo reforçador em uma contingência S-S e também em uma contingência tríplice enquanto condição necessária ou suficiente para se estabelecer um reforçador condicionado. Os resultados dos estudos apontam para a relevância da função discriminativa, assim como de outras variáveis, como a contingência S-S, para o estabelecimento da função reforçadora, porém indicam que a função discriminativa não é condição necessária para o estabelecimento da função reforçadora. Estas discussões profícuas direcionam para a importância da realização de pesquisas adicionais sobre o assunto com o objetivo de integrar e consolidar os resultados já existentes na literatura. Palavras chave: análise do comportamento, reforço condicionado, função reforçadora, função discriminativa, procedimento de observação