How are you adjusting reinforcement to reduce maladaptive behavior? Can you reinforce a more appropriate, alternative behavior to replace the maladaptive behavior?
Specificity in your reinforcement is important. You see by now that this skill requires attending to personal cues, attending to and processing verbal information, applying self-calming techniques, and demonstrating non-verbal responses and verbal responses to the comment or compliment. Ask yourself what specifically you are reinforcing first.
Which of these behaviors listed can serve to replace the student’s maladaptive responses of ignoring, of smirking, of negative comments, of responding angrily, etc.?
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.?
Earning a short, specific increment of alone time on the computer with a favored program may be an effective reinforcer. The student may need breaks from interaction and the favored alone time activity may serve to calm the student and to prepare him for more interaction.
Are you using labeling and social praise to make the contingency between desired behavior and reinforcing consequence clear to the student?
What reinforcing consequences can you arrange that are more naturally or intrinsically connected to this targeted behavior?
Positive statements and compliments usually result in a feeling of satisfaction and happiness. Those positive feelings should be reinforcing to the student both in receiving the compliment and responding in an appropriate manner. Positive interactions generally result in the people involved desiring to further develop the relationship, either professionally or personally. However, pairing this social praise with favored activities may be required to increase the reinforcing value of those positive statements.