Application of differential reinforcement to control disruptive behaviours of mentally retarded students during remedial instruction.

This research was concerned with training special education practitioners to utilise DRO procedures (differential reinforcement of other behaviour) to control disruptive behaviours of mentally retarded students during remedial instruction. The procedures consisted of delivering an edible treat to the students if they failed to exhibit specified problem behaviours during selected time frames. In Study I, out-of-seat behaviour of a six-year-old mildly retarded girl was eliminated in two classroom settings following application of DRO. In addition, treatment effects generalised to a second problem behaviour, disruptive vocalising. In Study II, vocal disruption of a sixteen-year-old severely retarded boy was reduced to near-zero levels during speech therapy sessions. Both studies employed single case experimental designs to determine functional control of the reinforcement contingencies and utilised adjusting schedules to gradually increase the interval for reinforcement. The advantages of DRO programmes in special education settings are discussed.