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Differential reinforcement of other behaviors DRO is the delivery of reinforcement after the
student has not performed the target behavior after a determined interval of time. Other behaviors are ignored because the
primary focus is the reduction of the target behavior.
Ms. Byers decides to make up a DRO schedule for Tina, a student in her history class. Tina, a 13-year-old girl,
interrupts/calls out while Ms. Byers is lecturing and when students are answering questions. Ms. Byers collected
3 days of baseline data during history class. During the 45-minute class, Ms. Byers averaged 20 minutes of
of lecture time. Tina interrupted/called out an average of 8 times. Question-and-answer time with students averaged
10 minutes over the 3 days; Tina interrupted/called out an average of 5 times. This behavior is disruptive to the
class and is causing Tina to be excluded in the class.
Ms. Byers spoke with Tina and they decided the enforcer would be computer free time. Ms. Byers would have
a timer preset for for appropriate number of minutes. For the first phase Tina was reinforced every 7 minutes
for not interrupting/calling out. Second phase was set at 15 minutes, third at 30 minutes, and fourth at the entire class
time, 45 minutes.
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Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behaviors DRA is the reinforcement of the more
acceptable form of the unappropriate target behavior. DRA focuses on the occurrence of the appropriate behavior the teacher
wants from the student, whereas DRO focuses on the absence of the inappropriate behavior.
Mrs. Lisciandrello is a resource room teacher and Juan is a 10-year-old male student who comes to her
class 5 days a week. Mrs. Lisciandrello has decided to implement a DRA reinforcement schedule with Juan to encourage
the more acceptable form of behavior. She believes other behaviors that are inappropriate will most likely change on
their own after the reinforcers start working on the behavior she is focusing on. Juan raises his voice, tries to be
the 'class clown,' and acts very immature for his age.
The behavior she is focusing on for Juan is raising his voice. Juan will shout his answers when called on, yell to
students in class, and shriek and squeal when reading aloud. (Medical issues and other health impairments were ruled
out) Mrs. Lisciandrello took baseline data for 5 days during the 50-minute time period Juan is in her class; Juan raised
his voice above a 'natural' level an average of 8 times per class.
Mrs. Lisciandrello met with Juan and told him that she loved that he was so enthusiastic about learning, reading,
and seeing his friends. However, he needed to learn how to speak appropriately in the classroom when answering questions and
talking to his friends. Oral reading is an excellent place to act through one's voice, but it has to be in context of the
story, not just because the reader wants to read in a funny voice.
After Mrs. Lisciandrello implemented the DRA as a fixed ratio schedule (number of appropriate behaviors), the appropriate
form of Juan's target behavior increased.
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