Precision Delivery Slides Precision Delivery
Mechanics, Fluency, and the Science of Temporal Contiguity
Behavioral Systems Series
Lesson 1
The 3-Second Rule
In this speed drill, you must observe a behavior and deliver a token within 3 seconds.
Why speed matters:
Ensures the student knows exactly which behavior is being reinforced.
Prevents "adventitious reinforcement" of unwanted intervening behaviors.
03.00
Seconds to Contiguity
Temporal Contiguity
"The shorter the delay between the behavior and its consequence, the stronger the learning."
Immediate: Clear association formed.Delayed: Risk of reinforcing intervening behaviors.
Target Behavior "Eyes on teacher"
"You're looking right at me! Here's a token." Token + Praise
The Anatomy of BSP
Praise should never be "naked." It must always be paired with the token and a description of the behavior.
1. Direct Address
"Sarah..." or "Class..."
2. The Behavior
"...I love how you started your work right away..."
3. The Token
"...earn a token for the store!"
Goal: BSP makes the token system social, instructional, and transparent.
Delivery Fluency
Smooth implementation = better outcomes.
1
Minimize Disruption
Deliver while continuing your lecture or session flow. Don't make a "big production" of every token.
2
Accessibility
Keep tokens in an easy-to-reach pouch or pocket. Avoid digging through desks or bags.
3
Neutralize Errors
If a student complains about not getting a token, stay neutral. "You can earn one by [Behavior]."
4
Vary the Praise
Avoid robotic repetition. Use synonyms for "good job" and vary your tone of voice.
Time to Drill
Use your Speed Drill Worksheet. Your partner will act as the student. Deliver tokens for the target behaviors as quickly and precisely as possible.
"Instruction is the flow. Reinforcement is the rhythm."
Speed Drill Worksheet Speed Drill Tracker
Lesson 1: Mechanics of Token Delivery
Student:
Date:
Drill Protocol
In pairs, one student acts as the Implementer and the other as the Client. The Client will perform a series of rapid behaviors. The Implementer must deliver a token and Behavior-Specific Praise (BSP) for Target Behaviors only within a 3-second window.
Target 1 Eye Contact
Target 2 Starting Task
Target 3 Hands Down
Trial Behavior Observed (Client Choice) Token Delivered? < 3 Sec? BSP Used (Write phrase) 1 Y / N Y / N 2 Y / N Y / N 3 Y / N Y / N 4 Y / N Y / N 5 Y / N Y / N 6 Y / N Y / N
Self-Reflection
What was the most challenging part of maintaining temporal contiguity during the drill?
How did the quality of your BSP change as the speed increased?
Fidelity and Drift Slides Quality Assurance
Fidelity & Drift
Protecting Intervention Integrity in Real-World Settings
Behavioral Systems Series
Lesson 2
Spot the Difference
Scenario A: High Fidelity
• Token delivered < 3s of behavior.
• BSP clearly names the behavior.
• Token delivery is calm and neutral.
• Ratio is exactly FR3 as planned.
Impact: Predicted Gains
Scenario B: Procedural Drift
• Token delivered 10s later (at desk).
• "Good job" (No specific behavior).
• Token delivery is used to bribe.
• Ratio varies randomly by staff mood.
Impact: Plan Failure
Dimensions of Integrity
Accuracy
Is the protocol being followed exactly as written? (e.g., correct reinforcement ratio)
Consistency
Is the protocol applied the same way every time and by every staff member?
Frequency
Are opportunities for reinforcement occurring at the intended density?
"Treatment integrity is the degree to which the independent variable is implemented as intended."
The Decay of Excellence: Drift
Passive Drift
Forgetting steps over time, natural erosion of precision as the system becomes "routine."
Active Drift
Intentionally modifying the plan because it "feels better" or "works faster" (e.g., bribing with tokens).
"Drift is the invisible enemy of clinical outcomes."
Correcting the Course
Feedback Components
Describe the observed implementation.
Identify specific deviations from protocol.
Explain the rationale for the protocol.
Re-train and model the correct behavior.
Key Metric
80%
The minimum threshold for procedural fidelity. Anything lower requires immediate re-training.
"Effective supervision is not a 'gotcha' moment; it's a support structure for client success."
Workshop: Audit Time
Use the Implementation Fidelity Checklist to audit your peer's delivery from the previous lesson. Provide 2 pieces of positive feedback and 1 specific corrective action.
Integrity Audit Checklist System Integrity Audit
Token Economy Fidelity Checklist
Observer:
Implementer:
Date:
Procedural Step Implemented? Observation Notes / Examples I. Environmental Preparation Tokens are physically accessible to implementer at all times. Y / N / NA Visual backup menu is visible to the student. Y / N / NA II. Delivery Mechanics Token delivered within 3 seconds of target behavior. Y / N / NA Behavior-Specific Praise (BSP) names the exact behavior reinforced. Y / N / NA Implementer maintains neutral affect for non-target behaviors. Y / N / NA III. System Consistency Scheduled reinforcement ratio (e.g., FR1, FR3) is strictly followed. Y / N / NA Tokens are never used as a threat or bribe (pre-stating loss). Y / N / NA
Integrity Calculation
(Total "Yes" / Total Possible) x 100
%
Reinforce (High Fidelity Areas)
Corrective Action / Drift Control
Return this form to the implementer after providing verbal performance feedback.
Data Decision Slides Data Driven Decisions
Mastering Visual Analysis & Interpretation
Lesson 3
The Mystery Graph
Day 10: Intervention Start — Data plummets.
What happened?
The intervention was supposed to increase behavior. Instead, it crashed.
Was the reinforcer actually a punisher?
Is the ratio too high (Ratio Strain)?
Visual Analysis Tools
Level
The average value of the data series. Where does it sit on the y-axis?
Trend
The direction the data is moving. Increasing, decreasing, or zero trend?
Variability
The "bounce" in the data. Is it stable or highly variable (unpredictable)?
Variability: The Noise
High variability in a token economy often signals implementation drift.
Staff members are using different criteria.
The reinforcer is losing its value (satiation).
Environmental variables (home life, medication) are fluctuating.
STABLE?
Data must be stable before making major changes to the schedule of reinforcement.
Decision Matrix
Steady State / Positive Trend
Action: Maintain or begin thinning schedule.
Zero Trend / Neutral Progress
Action: Check fidelity first. Then consider reinforcer assessment.
Negative Trend / Baseline Regression
Action: Halt program. Re-evaluate target behavior and system design.
Analysis > Gut Feeling
"It feels like it's working" is not a clinical statement. Show me the slope.
Detectives: Open Your Folders
Examine the Mystery Graph Worksheet . Use your visual analysis tools to hypothesize the root cause of the data shift. Be ready to defend your theory with level, trend, and variability data.
Observe Analyze Hypothesize
Mystery Graph Worksheet Mystery Graph Analysis
Lesson 3: Data-Based Decision Making
Clinician:
Date:
Visual Analysis Protocol
Analyze each graph below. Identify the Level (Low/Med/High), Trend (Increasing/Decreasing/Zero), and Variability (Stable/High). Based on your analysis, provide a clinical hypothesis and recommended action.
Case A: The "Regression"
Level Analysis...
Trend Analysis...
Variability Analysis...
Hypothesis & Action
Case B: The "Chaos"
Level Analysis...
Trend Analysis...
Variability Analysis...
Hypothesis & Action
Reflection
Why is it critical to look at variability before making a decision based on mean level alone?
Confidential Clinical Data Training Material © Behavioral Systems Graduate Program
The Exchange Logistics Slides The Exchange
Logistics, Learning, and Inventory
Lesson 4
The "Chaotic Store"
Without a logistics plan, the reinforcement exchange becomes a source of instructional loss.
Common Failure Points:
Long wait times (extinction of behavior).
Items out of stock (disappointment/aggression).
Math errors (distrust in the system).
"Every minute spent in a queue is a minute lost to reinforcement."
Instructional Integration
Functional Math
• Addition of token totals.
• Subtraction of costs.
• Concept of "Change" or "Balance."
• Comparison: "Do I have enough for X?"
Social Skills
• Waiting / Turn-taking.
• Requesting (Mand training).
• Manners / Social Etiquette.
• Negotiation and Problem Solving.
The "Savings" Skill
A robust token economy teaches students to defer reinforcement for higher-value items.
The "Bank" Ledger
Essential for students moving from immediate gratification to long-term goals. Visual tracking of "savings" is critical.
Item Cost Sticker 5 Extra Recess 25 Class Pizza Party 100
Inventory Management
Restocking
Weekly audits to ensure high-preference items are never truly "out."
Pricing
Adjust prices based on demand and student "wealth" to avoid inflation.
Scheduling
Fixed exchange times vs. variable opportunities to mimic real-world commerce.
Simulation: The Shopkeep
Use your Exchange Manager Ledger . You will be assigned a "store" with 5 high-demand items and a crowd of 10 "students." Manage the math, the inventory, and the social interactions within a 5-minute window.
Mission: Zero Errors • High Satisfaction
Exchange Manager Ledger Exchange Manager Ledger
Lesson 4: Simulation Activity
Manager:
Shift Time:
Inventory Tracker
Item Description Price (Tokens) Start Stock Units Sold End Stock Extra Recess Coupon 15 5 Assorted Vinyl Stickers 3 10 Sit in Teacher's Chair 25 1 Homework Pass 20 3
Transaction Log
Customer Name Item Purchased Paid Change Ledger Balance
Store Management Reflection
A student becomes upset because the "Homework Pass" is out of stock. How do you handle this while maintaining the behavioral protocol?
Instructional Moment
Describe a specific social skill you targeted during a transaction (e.g., eye contact, waiting, "Please/Thank you").
Efficiency • Accuracy • Reinforcement
Thinning and Maintenance Slides System Evolution
Thinning & Maintenance
Transitioning from Continuous to Intermittent Reinforcement
Lesson 5
The "Breakdown"
Case: Ratio Strain
"Leo was earning a token for every math problem (FR1). To thin the schedule, the teacher required 10 problems per token (FR10) overnight. Leo stopped working entirely and began tearing his worksheet."
Diagnosis:
Abrupt increase in work requirement without sufficient reinforcement density.
Ratio Strain
Behavioral persistence fails because the 'price' of reinforcement became too high, too fast.
The Transition Goal
Continuous (FR1)
Best for Acquisition. Every response is reinforced. Builds the skill quickly but is easily extinguished.
Intermittent (VR/FR)
Best for Maintenance. Only some responses are reinforced. Builds resistance to extinction and mimics real-world schedules.
Why Thin?
Increase resistance to extinction.
Improve behavioral persistence.
Prepare student for system removal.
When to Thin: Readiness Data
The 3-Day Rule
1. Data shows Stability at the current level.
2. Behavior is at Mastery (90%+ accuracy).
3. The student is Prompt-Independent.
4. Satiation is occurring (student ignores tokens).
"Never thin a schedule on a bad data day."
Thinning Strategies
Ratio Thinning
Increasing the number of responses required.
FR1 FR2 FR3 VR3
Interval Thinning
Increasing the time between reinforcement.
1 min 2 min 5 min VI 5
Rule of Thumb: Increase requirements by no more than 20-30% at a time.
Detecting Ratio Strain
Latencies
The student takes longer and longer to start each task.
Aggression
Emotional responding or frustration increases.
Post-Rfx Pause
Extended periods of inactivity after earning a token.
Action: Immediately return to the previous densest schedule.
Case Analysis: Thinning Logic
Open your Thinning Logic Worksheet . You will analyze three data sets and determine if the schedule is ready to be thinned, or if the student is experiencing ratio strain.
Data
Plan
Thinning Logic Worksheet Thinning Logic
Lesson 5: Schedule Maintenance & Ratio Strain
Practitioner:
Date:
Analysis Objectives
Review the case data below. For each scenario, determine if the system is ready for Schedule Thinning or if the practitioner must Re-Densify the schedule due to ratio strain or instability.
Case A: The Stable Performer
Current Schedule: FR1 (Continuous). Behavior: Task Completion. Student has met goal for 5 consecutive days with 0 prompts.
Decision
Thin Schedule
Maintain/Re-Densify
Rational & New Target Schedule
Case B: The "Aggressive" Jump
Change: Shift from FR1 to FR15 in one day. Data shows immediate drop in level and increase in refusal behaviors.
Technical Term for this Phenomenon
Corrective Action Plan
Maintenance Strategy
Explain the concept of "Resistance to Extinction" and why intermittent schedules (like VR) are superior to continuous schedules for long-term behavioral maintenance.
Advanced Behavioral Implementation Series • Module 3.5
