Series of Interventions-Building Compliance and Reinforcement Schedules

Building compliance
• The easiest and quickest way to build compliance is to increase compliance for all activities in all settings: i.e., providing a rich positively reinforcing setting/schedule that rewards the child for as many compliant acts as possible. Start with a one-to-one reward ratio.
• To build behavioral momentum quickly, offer the child very simple (if not preferred tasks) and then reward the child for compliance. Be very specific (e.g., It was so nice of you to help me set the table, here is a ____ to show my appreciation.)
• Tangible rewards can be any small – preferred item. Food is very powerful (skittles, goldfish, pretzels,etc.) and should be used in very small increments (1-3 pieces, etc.)
• To date, peer reviewed journals and studies have not found sugar to aggravate or alter ADHD
children’s behavior. If concern regarding using candy reinforcers remains, use very small increments (1-3 skittles, M&M’s, etc.)
• Try to tie tangible rewards to social graces (please and thank you). That helps move the child from external (I act to get candy) to internal (I act because it feels good to help others).
• The child will require constant feedback, attention, and rewards in the early stages. Once the
child's behavior improves, you can stretch the amount of time between feedback, rewards, and
attention.
• Even though this will require a lot of effort up front, it is preferable to spending the majority of your day "cleaning up."

Reinforcement Schedules
• To begin, some noncompliant children may need to be reinforced (small edible such as one skittle,goldfish, or pretzel) for every act of compliance (using manners at the table, cleaning up when done playing, remaining on-task or in-seat.)
o This type of reinforcement should always be paired with specific verbal praise.
• A next step could be using a “working for” board (which contains a picture of desired reinforcer and slots for a marker (star, colored dot, etc.) children are required to earn X number of markers to obtain the reinforcer.
• OR drop a plastic bear (or any other tangible - counting manipulative, etc.) into a jar for each act of compliance. You could require the child to earn ten bears to receive a reinforcer.
• Other children may need to be able to earn some type of reinforcement several times during the day such as at the end of each period or subject.
• Other children may be able to work well if they are rewarded for good choices once (end-of-day) or twice daily (before lunch and end-of-day.)
• Still others may only need some type of weekly recognition or reward such as a "Fun Friday" or "Fun Sunday"type of incentive.