Overview
Reductive procedures are essential in ABA because reducing problem behavior is often the primary goal in clinical and educational practice. While increasing desirable behaviors is necessary, many interventions focus on decreasing behaviors that interfere with a child's learning, socialization, or independence. Reductive procedures may be implemented through reinforcement-based strategies (e.g., differential reinforcement) or punishment procedures, depending on the function of the behavior and the context (Cooper et al., 2020; Little & Akin-Little, 2019).
For Example, I worked with a client who would engage in tantrums whenever she had to transition to Spanish class, which she did not prefer. To do this, I combined reinforcement and punishment as part of a reductive plan. Each time she transitioned to Spanish class without a tantrum, she earned a star; once she collected five stars, she was able to access a preferred reinforcer. At the same time, if she engaged in a tantrum, she lost access to outdoor playtime immediately after, instead, that time was used to complete Spanish-related activities. By reinforcing the functionally equivalent behavior of transitioning appropriately and applying a mild punishment procedure for tantrums, the frequency of her tantrums decreased. Although we continue to work on this target, the strategy has been effective in reducing the problem behavior while increasing appropriate classroom participation.
This personal example is a powerful illustration of how the reinforcement of appropriate alternatives, combined with a carefully planned reduction procedure, can effectively reduce problem behavior while promoting skill acquisition in a socially valid and ethical manner
References
Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson.
Little, S. G., & Akin-Little, A. (2019). Reductive procedures: Positive approaches to reducing the incidence of problem behavior. In S. G. Little & A. Akin-Little (Eds.), Behavioral interventions in schools: Evidence-based positive strategies (2nd ed., pp. 77–96). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000138-005
Walden University, LLC. (2019). Decreasing frequency of behavior [Video]. Walden University Blackboard. https://waldenu.instructure.com