A Translational Investigation of Positive and Negative Behavioral Contrast

Applied behavior analysts implement research-based techniques to improve behavior. However, research with nonhumans suggests that intervening to improve behavior in one context may result in a worsening of that same behavior in another context (behavioral contrast). Although there are clinical implications of behavioral contrast, the vast majority of research on contrast has been conducted with nonhuman animals. Results from basic research suggest that contrast is influenced differentially depending on whether a change in conditions follows versus precedes a given context. For example, a child might encounter three contexts each day: home, school, and daycare. An intervention to reduce the child’s aggressive behavior might be implemented at school (the second context). Results from basic research suggest that the child’s behavior at home and at daycare might worsen, showing behavioral contrast, but behavior at home (the first context) would be influenced to a larger degree than at daycare (the third context). Further, basic research suggests that there are changes in behavior on the order of smaller units of time. In the applied example, the child’s behavior at home might become worse and worse as the time to go to school approaches. Similarly, the child’s behavior at daycare might be the worst immediately following arrival from school. The current study investigated whether the order of context influenced contrast as well as within-session effects with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Applied implications and future directions are discussed