Research Review: Physical exercise as a Reinforcer

Research Review by Michelle Rodgers (CUNY Queens College)

Azrin, N.H., Ehle, C.T., & Beaumont, A.L. (2006). Physical exercise as a reinforcer to promote calmness of an ADHD child. Behavior Modification, 30, 564-570.

Authors: Azrin, N.H., Ehle, C.T., &Beaumont, A.L.

Title: Physical exercise as a reinforcer to promote calmness of an ADHD child

Purpose of this study: This study had several purposes. One purpose was to determine if scheduled exercise could serve as a reinforcer for a child remaining calm for a certain period of time. Next, the authors wanted to determine if the exercise would result in calmness even if it wasn’t based on being a contingent reinforcer, if specific praise could result in calmness, or whether contingency was necessary to promote calmness.

Participants: The subject was a 4 year old boy that was diagnosed with autism and ADHD.

Settings: During baseline, the child was observed in his classroom setting. During the procedural component, the child was observed in a separate roomTarget behaviors: Calmness was the target behavior and was defined as sitting calmly and attentively and looking at the assistant.

Procedure: The procedure had several components. These procedures were given on separate days and alternated over the course of 5 days. The reinforcer would be 1 minute of play in an outside playground that contained gymnastic equipment and other climbing structures. The child would engage in activity for the full time and would not be prompted.

Shaping was the first component and the purpose was to attempt for the child to display calmness according to the definition. The time for the child to sit calmly increased from 1 second and after several trials eventually reached 60 seconds. Specific verbal praise was given throughout the session as well as after each successful session. After each successful session, the child was allowed to play.

The descriptive praise was the component in which only specific praise was given for the target behavior and the playground was not used as a reinforcer.

The noncontingent reinforcement phase allowed the child to use the playground every 60 seconds regardless of calmness and no praise was given.

The reconditioning phase allowed the child 60 seconds of playground activity contingent on 60 seconds of calm behavior. Descriptive praise was included at the end of each successful session.

The baseline component was the phase in which the playground was not given as a reinforcer and no descriptive praise was given. The child was seated in the chair and was returned to it when he arose from it.

Results: Prior to the intervention, the child was out of his seat for 100% of the time. The shaping and reconditioning phases had the most dramatic results. In these two phases the child was able to display 60 seconds of attentiveness which lasted for 50 minutes of the session. Descriptive praise, noncontingent play, and the baseline phase resulted in about 3 to 5 seconds of calm behavior.

Implications: Although this study was conducted on only one boy, it is interesting to see that vigorous activity served as a potent reinforcer. For children with ADHD, engaging in exercise at scheduled times may allow for more attentive behavior in the classroom. While the teachers noted how calm the boy was during the intervention, he was in a separate room. It would be interesting to see how attentive he would be in the classroom if he was able to “work” towards use of the playground as a reinforcer. This study offers another possible reinforcer that could be paired with the usual token economy that is often implemented in the classroom. A feasible schedule would need to be worked out to obtain maximum attentiveness in the classroom, while appropriately allowing for playground activity time.