There's a lot of confusion between bribery and reinforcement and it's really important
for both autism professionals and parents to know the difference.
So today I'm talking all about this important topic.
Hi, I'm doctor Mary Barbera from Mary barbera.com.
Each week I provide parents and professionals with some of my ideas about turning autism
around.
So if you haven't subscribed to my youtube channel, you can do that now.
A few months ago, I also started my turn autism around podcasts, so I hope you'll check that
out too on iTunes or at marybarbera.com forward slash podcast.
a few weeks ago, a certified teacher I know, I'll call her Susie, she said she was going
to the store to get some cheap prizes to bribe her students, her fifth grade students for
being good during PSSA testing.
Now Susie teaches general education and has worked with my son Lucas for years so I know
she's very behavioral.
She even created a token system classroom wide and has been recognized for her classroom
management skills, um, and for being behavioral.
So I explained to Susie that she wasn't using bribery, she was using reinforcement and she
wanted to know the difference.
So I explained it to her and I'm going to explain that to you all too because there
are questions.
I remember, um, somebody came to see a, uh, a session with my client, Cody and his mom,
Jenna, who's featured in a podcast.
Um, and they came to a session to observe the session years ago when I was working with
Cody.
And um one of the reactions from both the student and the adult.
It was like a teenage student and adult that came with her was they could not believe the
dense reinforcement.
I don't think they used quite the dense reinforcement term that I did, but they just couldn't believe
how much reinforcement was needed to get Cody to participate.
And, um, that it was, it was truly a eye opening.
And I think people, you know, some people that have misconceptions about ABA think it's
just bribery and it's, um, so in some way detrimental, which is ABA is the most proven
treatment for children with autism.
Um, that has been proven, you know, starting more than three decades ago and continues
to be the most solid evidence based treatment.
So I do think that it's important whether you're a parent, um, using reinforcement or
a professional, uh, in some kind of ABA programming, working with students to be able to understand
and, and tell, teach people the difference between bribery and reinforcement.
So bribery is not planned out.
So I knew was Susie going to the store to plan out reinforcement to plan out prizes
was not, uh, was, was definitely planned.
So I, I, before I said it's not bribery, it's reinforcement you're talking about.
I asked her to explain what she meant by she's going into the store and what her plan was.
So she definitely had a plan.
Bribery involves no plan.
It is very reactive.
So bribes are given or offered following problem behavior.
And a lot of times this involves negotiation with higher language kids.
So, you know, it might be reinforcing, whining, reinforcing, you know, um crying.
If we think about just the grocery store, the candy aisle, you know, it's just, just
a perfect example because if a child starts crying in the Candy Aisle, I want candy.
You never get me candy and dah, dah, dah, dah, dah.
No matter if the parent goes, well, you know, I gave you candy last time or I'll give you
candy, just stop crying or, or anything like that.
Or we'll use your, use your big boy voice or whatever she says.
She's reacting to that crying and whining behavior, thus reinforcing it.
So if there's any negotiation at that point, it's likely to be a huge payoff for the kid.
Um, so parents, use bribery and with negotiation and parents are often frustrated and don't,
the whole thing is not very much led by the adult.
Like Susie had a plan, she was going to get these prizes.
She was going to set the expectations with her students that if they met this expectation,
if they were quiet when their tests were done and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, they would
be entered into a raffle or are they, would each get a prize or whatever her criteria
was.
She explained that to the students at the time.
She had her prices, she was prepared and um, it was different than bribery.
So bribery results in changes in the short term like, yes, giving the child candy at
that moment will look like it works, but in the end the behavior will worsen because you're,
you're already starting with a child crying and whining and that's going to spill over.
That's going to spill over to other stores, to bath, time to bed, time to homework time.
And that's where bribery really does get you in trouble.
Reinforcement on the other hand, like I said, is planned ahead like Susie did by going to
the store.
The reinforcer, if that's an external, reinforcer like stickers or small prizes, um, are delivered
with praise, with praise about the specific expectations that they met.
The reinforcer is delivered following good or great behavior, expected behavior.
And it's the adults in charge.
It's adult led.
The adult will decide if the reinforcer will be given.
Um, and positive reinforcement.
It's been proven.
It's the science of ABA is, um, that positive reinforcement will result in longterm pops,
positive changes, not just a knee jerk, immediate reaction, but a longer term positive change
where you won't even get the more minor behaviors such as crying and whining.
So in summary, you need to know the difference in my opinion, between bribery and reinforcement.
You always want to use reinforcement well planned out, adult led, making sure the student,
um, follows the reinforcer follows good or great behavior.
And um looking for the longterm changes in the student, not the immediate, uh, just turn
the kids volume off and get on with your day.
So it does involve, like with the grocery store for instance, um, I would plan that,
I remember me as a child I was given, you know, was sitting in the car and I, my mom
would actually purchase or she would grab a little thing of cookies, animal cookies.
I would eat them during the trip.
And then at the end we would pay for the empty box.
Um, it doesn't always, it doesn't have to involve food though.
And certainly it doesn't have to involve junky food.
It could be, you know, we're going to go into the store, we're gonna get, you might have
to start with shorter trips.
We're going to get three things.
You can help me pick them up off the shelves.
We're going to get to the checkout and then we're going to come home or we're going to
go for lunch after.
So, um, whenever you're negotiating during problem behaviors, that's probably like more
of a bribery situation.
So know the difference.
Um, and if you'd like to learn more about my system for improving language, decreasing
problem behaviors, uh, in and out of the house and school, that you can sign up for a free
online workshop at marybarbera.com, forward slash workshop, wherever you're watching this,
I would love a thumbs up, a comment, share this video with others who might benefit.
And I'll see you right here next week.