Delayed and Immediate Reinforcement for Running

This post is mostly for myself to keep up with my running routine. Lately with personal and work changes I need something consistent and a healthy alternative is the ticket. At first I was doing well with running at least three times a week, but within the past few weeks I have been slipping. So here is a list of delayed and immediate reinforcement from running:

IMMEDIATE:
1. Freeing up my inner dimension: I am so concerned about my pace, breathing, and dodging obstacles (other people, trash cans, dogs, etc.) that I have no time to think about life stressors.
2. Sweat it out: sweating can be conditioned to be a reinforcer
3. Environment: Running outside is a lot easier than being stuck on a treadmill due to the scenery. Living in a coastal town it is beautiful to see sail boats, sea birds, and other landmarks to take your mind off of the fatigue.

DELAYED:
1. Checking off of my schedule: I am an individual who is highly reinforced by having a To-Do list everyday. When running is on the schedule it is more reinforcing to check off the list.
2. Making progress: when you begin to run farther and farther distances it becomes more reinforcing to keep running. Whether its just adding .10 of a mile or accomplishing a hill sprint all of it will get me to be more motivated to put on those sneakers.
3. Restful nights sleep: Based on my summer schedule I run in the early evenings which makes falling asleep all the easier.
4. Common Interest: A few friends of mine have been running for years, so it can tend to come up in conversation. So when it comes to advice I have a pool of knowledge to go to.
5. Smiles: Mentalism, but running a few times a week makes me happy with myself. Is it self reinforcement? I think so! But I am happy with my healthy choices and appearance.

And last but not least: What is the one thing that is true about all humans? We can lie.

What other immediate/delayed reinforcers do you rely on to get off the couch?

How to relax after a long day a work.

Operational definition of relaxation: Any instance in which a Behavior Therapist is removed from the work environment and engages in a hobby or non-ABA related tasks. For example, after work Meghan blares show tunes in her car on the way home. A non example would be Meghan going to a library after work and studies ABA terminology for 4 hours.

I understand this definition needs some work but you get the overall picture. As you could tell this week has been long and somewhat stressful. I am still happy with my current position and the kids are great. But as any Behavior Therapists knows even good days require you to be fully committed to whatever student you are working on and taking full advantage of any training moment. Which can get draining at times.

I have come up with a list activities that help me relax after a long day:

1. Exercise: Now for most this sounds like the last thing they would like to do after a long day of working with kids, but hear me out. I am not putting any duration or magnitude requirements for working out. It could be something as simple as doing a plank for 1min or taking a walk. Recently I have been running outside, for me it causes me to focus on my pace/breathing to the point where I can no longer think about work. Then when you are done you have accomplished something and more relaxed to tackle whatever you like.

2. Spending time with a pet: The greeting when you get home from a dog is one of the most amazing happiness boosters in the world. My dog has a tendancy to run around the house 5 times, shake from the power of her tail wagging, and give you about 20 kisses before you even have a chance to put your bag down. After the shock of your arrival home, the dog will most likely lay right next to you and you end up mindlessly petting them into sleep. Relaxing for both parties

3. Binge Watching: I have to admit most nights I watch one episode of a show and by the end I can't keep my eyes open. Netflix has been my saving grace many a night when I could not calm down from work. Try watching something that doesn't require your full attention and full of jokes. My go-to shows are: Parks & Rec, Trailer Park Boys, and Freaks and Geeks. 

4. Craft Fest 2014: When in doubt and nothing else seems appealing I log onto Pinterest and craft up a storm. From no sew blankets to doodles of weird looking owls. Also all of this de-stressing crafting makes christmas time a lot cheaper/easier. Latest craft: Smash Booking (easiest way to spend sometime and put all of those random keepsakes to use).

Those are the major 4 activities that I do to relax after work. What do you do to zen out?

BDS Modules- Reinforcing or Punishing Study Behavior?

As I get closer to taking the boards exam I have noticed one thing- the modules by Behavior Development Solutions are very difficult! Now I thought the program for my masters was difficult but these modules requiring 100% accuracy is crossing the border to making studying highly aversive.

Now are they worth it? Let's break it down....

PROS
- SUCCESS: Based on data collected, the individuals who complete the modules are 90% or more likely to pass on the first try compared to those who just study from The White Book (CHH- like you didn't know).
- QUESTION FORMAT: all multiple choice and worded similarly to the questions on the current exam
- EASY NAVIGATION: broken down into subject matter making studying up to you
- FLUENCY & ACQUISITION: have to meet 100% on both in order to complete that module

CONS
- TIME CONSUMING: one afternoon I spent 4 hours and only completed 6% of the modules
- EXPENSIVE: for a 6 month membership you are paying close to $250 and it goes up and up if you want access for a year (this is on top of paying the application and testing facility fee for the exam).
- MASTERY CRITERION: having to get nothing less than 100% on every single acquisition and fluency section is difficult (some I had to retake multiple times because I would miss 1 or 2 questions).

I would recommend reviewing The White Book and notes from classes when studying to decrease the probability of burning out (learned this the hard way). What tricks do you use when studying for a major exam? What subject area in ABA is the most challenging to you (ethics is a tough one for me)?

In the end it will all be worth it! Also lets end with an ABA joke.

Can you have your edible reinforcer and eat it too?

Hello from the one who seems to never have time to write.....sorry.

I started my summer camp ABA job this past Monday and have been in a whirlwind of behavior plans, new faces, and sun burns (for me not the kids). In other words I love my new job. My previous job lacked the fundamental component of ABA that I love: the thoroughly and clearly written programs and behavior plans. 

Now does this make me sound like a nerd? Yes. Does this make me scream like Tom Cruise? Most of the time.

But in my defense I get excited when I see a students binder that has every step laid out I know that the amount of errors I or other behavior therapists will make is minimum. That in turn suggests that the student is making progress at a pace that is superior to the "wait and see" method.

Now it is overwhelming to get into a new job and have to obtain a ton of knowledge so I came up with a list of helpful tips on how to approach a new case load:

1. READ THE DEFINITIONS: This may seem obvious, but make sure that you focus on the definitions of each behavior so that you can record occurrences without doubt. Also focus on the functional communication pieces so that if your student is showing signs of agitation/frustration you can easily use the phrasing that has been effective in the past.

2. INTERESTS: know what your student likes and I am not just talking about reinforcer list. Talk with other therapists about what the student does for fun. It is always helpful to get this background information to help with building that report with the student right out the gate. Some questions to ask are:
- What is their favorite tv show? Music?
- Do they have siblings? Pets? Favorite relative?
- What do you do to get them back on track?

3. LOOK THROUGH STIMULI: The worst feeling is when you are scrambling to get all of the components for a program while your student waits. This can be detrimental to you as the BT because you lost any momentum you had prior to this program. Also the student might begin to exhibit behaviors during this time because there are no demands being placed. Always have the next program set up whether its putting the stimuli on the floor or keeping it in the pocket with the program sheet to ensure a smooth transition to work.

4. HAVE FUN: The first few times you work with a student they are not going to immediately respond to you. You have to make yourself appealing to them in order to provide social/academic demands. The first few sessions are just about you being a familiar face who occasionally brings the jokes.

5. MAKE A CHEAT SHEET: If your student has a crazy schedule or so many components to a behavior plan to make your head spin, write down a cheat sheet. Keep it in their binder or do not use any identifying information on it (confidentiality purposes). I write down time slots for services like speech, music therapy, occupational therapy, etc. Also I write down if there are any other specific durations to behavior management. Even writing down a list of things to put together before the end of the day helps. It is easier to look a one page note than the alternative.

Hope some if any of these tips are useful. Off to continue doing the BDS modules for the BACB exam (cannot wait to have this exam over with). Let me know of any other useful tips you do to make your job as a BT easier.