Nonaversive treatment of high-rate disruption: child and provider effects

A multiple baseline across three providers showed that each provider, using only differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior (DRI), substantially reduced high-rate out-of-seat behavior in a highly disruptive 4-year-old boy with severe disabilities. During the experiment, duration of the boy's in-seat behavior expanded from less than 1 min to 20 min. Furthermore, during the intervention, the providers' use of physical restraint decreased to near-zero levels, even though restraint and DRI could be used together. Although not specifically targeted, the boy's appropriate toy play also increased during DRI.