This document describes a behaviour program to increase sharing behaviour in a 6-year-old boy named Jake during social interactions and playtime. Baseline data showed Jake shared an average of 11.11% of the time. The program used differential reinforcement of an alternative behaviour by providing reinforcement on a fixed interval schedule when Jake shared. Prompts were also used. After 20 days, Jake's sharing increased to an average of 37.22%. The program aims to continue maintaining this behaviour and generalize it to other settings by fading prompts and reinforcement over time.

1. JAKE
MATTHEWS
B E H A V I O U R P R O G R A M
A P P L Y I N G D I F F E R E N T I A L
R E I N F O R C E M E N T O F A N
A L T E R N A T I V E
B E H A V I O U R T O I N C R E A S E
S H A R I N G I N A 6 - Y E A R -
O L D B O Y D U R I N G S O C I A L
I N T E R A C T I O N S A N D P L A Y
T I M E
REFRENCES
Age 6, Grade 1, public elementary school
Aggressive behaviour, no previous medication
or treatment
Occurs during play time with other students
Referred by his teacher (Ms. Lewis) from
growing concern
Examples of aggressive behaviour: grabs
toys, pushes students away, physically hurts
students, and refuses to share
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION
RATIONALE
Sharing is recorded when Jake willingly takes
turns using the class toys during play time and
recess, and when he cooperatively completes
tasks with other students. Jake is not expected
to share if the items are his own personal
items, or during independent work time using
items assigned to him. He is considered to not
be sharing when he pulls toys away from other
students aggressively causing physical harm,
pushes students away while he is playing, and
refuses to play near or with other students.
Sharing is an essential skill required
throughout life
Sharing helps build relationships, encourages
social skills, and is important for him to learn
while he is still young
Sharing is an important skill for Jake to learn
because he currently shows withdrawal from
other students and favors isolation and
independent work rather than working in
group settings and playing with the other
students
Overall, Jake successfully accomplished each objective
over the two consecutive days, which increased his
sharing behaviour to 37.22%. If this program continues
to be maintained, Jake's sharing behaviour will become
an effortless social skill.
Barrera, F. J., & Graver, E. E. (2009). A comparison
of behavior functions in community and facility
settings. Journal on Developmental Disabilities,
15(1), 30-34.
Gabor, A. M., Fritz, J. N., Roath, C. T., Rothe, B. R.,
& Gourley, D. A. (2016). Caregiver preference
for reinforcement-based interventions for
problem behaviour maintained by positive
reinforcement. Journal of Applied Behavior
Analysis, 49(2), 215-227.
Lucas, R. L. (2000). The effects of time-out and DRA
on the aggressive behaviour of a spirited two-
year-old. Child & Family Behavior Therapy,
22(2), 51-56. doi: 10.1300/J019v22n02_04
N a t a l i e P e r c y , K r i s t i n a B r a d y ,
J e n n a S u r e t t e , a n d L i a m M a c M u l l i n
ABOUT JAKE Summary

2. Primary
Sponsors
Megan Yokovic
Sarah Haleen
Dr Mark Hopson
Jacques Webster
Laura &
Matthew
THE WEDDING OF
AUGUST 9, 2021
HYPOTHESES
ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES
Functional Assessment Checklist for Teachers & Staff
GB Motivation Screening Tool
Naturalistic Observation
RESULTSGOALS & OBJECTIVES
INTERVENTION PROCEDURES
During each of the observational periods between 9:00
am – 9:30 am, 11:45 am-12:15 pm, and 2:00 pm – 2:30
pm, Jake will share for
1. 20 % of the three times
2. 30 % of the three times
3. 40 % of the three times
4. 55 % of the three times
5. 70 % of the three times
Each of the above objectives will be achieved when Jake
has reached the specified criterion for 2 consecutive
days.
The two functions of Jake's behaviour is escape from
other students and gaining access to his preferred
tangible items. Sharing is not a skill deficit, he is just
unwilling to share. Because he has the skill to share, the
absence of this behaviour could be due to the lack of
reinforcement, reinforcement schedule, or the type of
reinforcement given.
If the function of Jake's behaviour is maintained by
escape and access to tangibles, then the opportunity to
have independent play periods and access to his preferred
items should decrease the rate of aggressive behaviour.
During baseline Jake's sharing behaviour was observed
using frequency recording. Jake's sharing behaviour was
observed over 5 school days for 3 periods throughout the
day, for a total of 54 minutes. Jake shared for an average
of 11.11% overall during baseline recording
BASELINE ASSESSMENT
Positive Reinforcement Using DRA
Increasing sharing and decreasing physical aggression
Used a Fixed Interval of 2 (FI2) schedule of
reinforcement
Jake was given access to tangible items, social praise,
and independent play time when he successfully
shared with his peers
Prompts
Visual prompt was taped to Jake's desk to remind him
to share
He was then given a gestural prompt towards the
visual prompt at the beginning of each observational
period
He was given a verbal prompt if he failed to share
Depending on whether or not Jake shared and if he met
the sharing objective, he was reinforced following every
second 3-minute observation interval.
Treatment was implemented over a 20-day period
Jake's sharing behaviour averaged 37.22%
This average percentage represents and increase of
235%
PROGRAM CHANGES
To avoid satiation Jake would have the opportunity to
choose from three different reinforcers, which could
easily be faded out. This strategy made it possible to
keep Jake's utmost interest in motivation to accomplish
this specific behaviour objective, while slowly phasing
out the unwanted behaviour.
MAINTENANCE AND
GENERALIZATION
The treatment program is to be
implemented in three different settings.
The visual prompt is to be faded out first
so Jake does not rely on the reminder to
share.
The gestural and verbal prompts given to
Jake when he is not sharing continued to
be used because they require minimum
effort, and they are natural prompts to
Jake.
Jake continues to have the opportunity to
have access to tangible items, and the
other reinforcers were phased out.
The initial reinforcement schedule of FI2
was phased out to a FI4, VI2 and then to
VI3, VI4, and finally to a VI6.