What are some reinforcing consequences you can deliver either immediately following the desired behavior or following a practice session– things that this particular student enjoys, wants, seeks out, etc.?
Are you using labeling and social praise to make the contingency between desired behavior and reinforcing consequence clear to the student?
Be specific in your praise as well as your feedback to the student. Feedback needs to be as concrete and clear as possible. Individuals are often not good at “reading between the lines” so do not be afraid to be direct and specific about what you liked or didn’t like about what they are doing.
What reinforcing consequences can you arrange that are more naturally or intrinsically connected to this targeted behavior?
When the student appropriately exits a conversation within role-play scenarios, does he immediately have to engage in yet another round of role-play? If possible, provide him with the more natural consequence that would be connected to this behavior – I exit the conversation appropriately, then I get to take a brief (or differentially longer) break from activities that require social communication skills. Or, the more natural consequence might be that I conclude the conversation and then continue on to class, back to work, or finish my tasks.
Some students might respond to earning tokens or points in instances in which they end the conversation appropriately. They could earn a special reward or privilege for earning an agreed-upon number of tokens or points. This might have to start at the beginning level of earning a point when the student pauses and states they have to go instead of just walking away. Or it might be successful for the student just learning how to read body language cues to determine if a person is bored or ready to go.