Differential reinforcement is a teaching method that rewards a helpful behavior while the behavior causing trouble earns little or nothing. It shows your child exactly what works. Over time, a skill such as asking for a break, waiting, or keeping hands busy takes the place of yelling, grabbing, or leaving the table.

You probably use pieces of it already. You answer quickly when your child says “help, please,” and you pause before responding when the same request arrives as a scream. Behavior analysts plan that pattern on purpose, track it with data, and adjust it as your child grows.

At Achieve ABA Therapy Group, our BCBAs build differential reinforcement into many of the plans we write for Colorado families, in homes, classrooms, and daycares. It is a well-studied approach, and it works best when parents understand it too.

What Differential Reinforcement Means in ABA

Reinforcement is anything that follows a behavior and makes that behavior more likely to happen again. Differential reinforcement applies it selectively, so one behavior gets the payoff and another does not.

Researchers at UNC’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute describe differential reinforcement as a use of reinforcement meant to reduce behaviors that get in the way of learning and daily life, and the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice lists it among 28 evidence-based practices for children and youth with autism.

The Plain-Language Definition

Split the term in two. “Reinforcement” is the good thing that follows a behavior, such as praise, a snack, a turn, or a break. “Differential” means two behaviors are treated differently on purpose.

Put together, your child earns the good thing for the skill we want to grow, and the behavior we want to shrink stops earning it. The CDC reports that behavioral approaches have the most evidence among treatment types for symptoms of autism, and that ABA tracks and measures progress along the way.

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2020 clinical report points to a growing evidence base for behavioral interventions aimed at specific skills and symptoms.

Why We Teach a Skill Instead of Only Stopping a Behavior

Every behavior serves a purpose for the child. Behavior analysts call that purpose the function, and the most common ones are getting away from something hard, getting attention, getting a favorite item or activity, and getting sensory input.

If a team removes the payoff for a behavior and offers nothing in its place, the need is still there. The behavior can get louder or change shape. For that reason, every plan we write includes a new skill that meets the same need in a way that works better for everyone.

We start by collecting ABC data and talking with caregivers to find the purpose. Families often tell us the plan feels different once the message shifts from “stop that” to “here is what to do instead.”

The Four Types of Differential Reinforcement, With Everyday Examples

Behavior analysts use four main versions, and each one fits a different goal. The scenarios below are illustrations to help you picture the idea, and a BCBA should design any plan for your own child.

DRA: Reinforcing a Better Way to Ask

Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior, or DRA, rewards a different behavior that does the same job as the problem behavior. It is the version we reach for most often because it builds communication.

Picture a child who grabs snacks off the counter whenever hunger hits. We teach a quick request, such as tapping a snack picture or saying “snack, please,” and we hand over the snack right away every time the request happens. Grabbing stops paying off because asking is faster and more reliable.

We never withhold food, safety, or comfort to teach a skill. The request simply becomes the quickest route to what your child needs.

The same idea works at the homework table. A child who sweeps papers to the floor when work feels too hard can learn to hand over a “break” card, earn a short pause immediately, and return to a smaller piece of work. If breaking or throwing things is the bigger concern at your house, our post on property destruction explains how we look for the purpose first.

DRI: Giving Hands a Job That Cannot Happen Alongside the Problem

Differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior, or DRI, rewards a behavior that physically cannot happen at the same moment as the problem behavior.

Consider a child who reaches for candy while waiting at a grocery checkout. We practice “hands on the cart” and reinforce it with specific praise and a small reward at the end of the line. Holding the cart handle and grabbing from the shelf are hard to do at once, so the new behavior crowds out the old one.

We choose DRI with care. We do not use it to remove harmless stimming, because movement that helps a child feel regulated does not need fixing. We use it for behaviors that limit safety, learning, or connection with other people.

DRO: Rewarding Time Without the Behavior

Differential reinforcement of other behavior, or DRO, rewards the absence of a behavior for a set stretch of time.

Picture a family driving from Colorado Springs to Denver on I-25 with a child who screams when bored. We set a short interval, say two minutes, and each interval that passes without screaming earns a choice, such as the next song. As your child succeeds, the interval gets longer.

DRO works well for behaviors that happen often or at predictable times. Because it rewards “anything but” the problem behavior, we usually pair it with DRA and teach what to do during the quiet stretch, such as asking for a song or paging through a picture book.

DRL: Turning Down the Volume on Behavior That Is Fine in Small Doses

Differential reinforcement of low rates of behavior, or DRL, rewards your child when a behavior happens less often than a limit we set. We use it when the behavior itself is reasonable and the frequency is the concern.

A child who asks “what’s next?” dozens of times during homework is a common example. The question is a fair one, and it often signals worry about what comes next. We might reward a stretch of work with fewer questions, and we pair the plan with a visual schedule so the answer stays visible without asking.

How We Choose Among the Four

Many plans blend two types. A short DRO interval can protect a quiet moment while DRA teaches the replacement skill.

How We Build a Differential Reinforcement Plan

A strong plan starts with observation and ends with data. Our BCBAs follow the same sequence for every child, whatever the setting, and you can meet our BCBAs to see who will be guiding the work.

Step 1: Observe, Interview, and Define the Behavior

We describe the behavior in terms anyone could see, such as “drops to the floor” rather than “gets angry.” Then we watch, record what happens before and after, and ask caregivers and teachers what they notice. The patterns tell us which type of differential reinforcement fits.

Step 2: Choose a Replacement Skill That Pays Off Faster

A pattern we watch for is a new skill that takes more effort than the old behavior. If grabbing takes one second and asking takes ten, grabbing wins. We make the new skill short, easy, and immediately rewarded, and we keep the old behavior from paying off.

Step 3: Deliver Reinforcement Right Away, Then Stretch It Out

At first, the new skill earns a reward every time and without delay. We choose rewards through preference checks, because what motivates your child this month may change next month. Over time we space the rewards out, and some children use a token economy to work toward a larger reward.

Step 4: Track, Adjust, and Fade

Our clinical team reviews data regularly and shares progress with you. When progress stalls, we revisit the plan: the reward, the timing, the difficulty of the skill. As the skill becomes natural, we fade the extra supports.

Notice a behavior that shows up at the same time every day? Jot down what happens just before and just after for a few days, then bring those notes to a BCBA at Achieve ABA.

Where Differential Reinforcement Shows Up in Your Child’s Day

A new skill only helps if it travels. We teach the same plan across the places your child spends time, so asking for a break works at the kitchen table and in the classroom.

At Home: Mealtimes, Routines, and Transitions

Home is where most families first notice the pattern: the shoe battle, the bedtime stall, the meltdown when the tablet turns off. Our in-home ABA therapists work inside those moments, practicing the replacement skill during the routines where it is needed.

For children under six, our early intervention program weaves the same ideas into play. Reinforcement also helps new habits stick, which is the idea behind teaching chores without constant reminders. Caregivers learn the plan through parent training, so responses stay consistent at dinner and at bedtime.

At School and Daycare: Waiting, Turn-Taking, and Asking for Help

Classrooms add noise, peers, and long stretches of waiting. Our school-based ABA team works with teachers and IEP teams so a child who raises a hand gets noticed quickly, and daycare-based ABA does the same during circle time, snack, and transitions.

A new teacher or schedule can shake a skill loose. Our back-to-school planning helps the plan travel with your child into the new school year.

On Weekends and in the Community

Skills need practice where life happens: the store, the park, a relative’s house. Weekend ABA lets families practice on the days they really go on outings, and it helps working families keep a consistent schedule.

In Group Homes and Shared Living

Older children, teens, and adults benefit from the same approach. In group home ABA, our BCBAs train staff to deliver reinforcement the same way across shifts, so consistency does not depend on one person.

Simple Ways to Practice at Home This Week

You do not need a clinic setup to practice the spirit of differential reinforcement. Small shifts in how and when you respond can make your child’s new skill easier to find.

Catch the First Try

• Notice the first attempt at the new skill, even when it is clumsy.

• Respond within a few seconds, because speed teaches the connection.

• Name what your child did: “Thank you for asking with your words.”

• Keep the new skill easy to do until it becomes a habit.

Keep Safety First

If a behavior involves aggression, self-injury, or running away, bring in a BCBA before trying a plan on your own. Those behaviors need a written plan with safety steps, and everyone who cares for your child should follow the same one.

Support for Families Across Colorado

Our teams provide ABA services in communities across the state, and the same plan can follow your child between home, school, and community. Here is where families find us.

Denver Metro and the South Suburbs

We serve families in Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada, Westminster, Thornton, Centennial, Englewood, Greenwood Village, Broomfield, Parker, and Castle Rock.

Northern Colorado and Boulder County

Our teams also work in Boulder, Longmont, Loveland, Fort Collins, and Greeley.

Southern Colorado and the Western Slope

Further south and west, we support families in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and Grand Junction.

Do not see your town? We serve more areas than we list, and our locations page shows the full picture. You can also browse our complete set of ABA services.

Teaching What Works, One Moment at a Time

Differential reinforcement works because it answers the question behind every behavior: what will get me what I need? When the answer becomes a skill that is easy to use and quick to pay off, challenging moments tend to shrink. Progress looks different for every child, and a good plan changes as your child grows.

If you take one idea from here, make it this: notice the skill you want to see more of, and respond to it fast. Your BCBA can help you choose which of the four types fits and how to thin the rewards over time.

Ready to build a plan around your child’s strengths? Start your child’s intake or call us at 888-810-4222.

Frequently Asked Questions About Differential Reinforcement

Is differential reinforcement the same as bribery?

No. A bribe is offered in the middle of a problem to make it stop. Differential reinforcement is planned ahead, tied to a specific skill, and delivered on a clear schedule. Over time we fade the extra rewards so natural payoffs, like praise and getting what your child asked for, take over.

What if the behavior gets worse before it gets better?

A short spike can happen when a behavior stops paying off, and behavior analysts call it an extinction burst. We plan for it, keep everyone safe, and keep the new skill’s payoff strong and immediate. If the behavior involves safety risks, contact your BCBA right away.

Will my child need rewards forever?

For most children, no. We thin the rewards gradually as the new skill becomes easier and natural payoffs, such as praise, access to a favorite activity, and getting a need met, keep the skill going. Your BCBA tracks data to decide when to fade each step.

Does differential reinforcement try to make my child act typical?

Our goals are communication, safety, and independence. We do not target harmless stimming or differences that help a child feel regulated, and we choose goals with you while watching your child’s comfort and assent throughout.

Does my child need an autism diagnosis before starting ABA?

Insurance coverage for ABA generally requires an autism diagnosis. If you are still looking for answers, our diagnosis page explains how we connect families with evaluations, and most families are typically seen within one to two weeks.

Sources

• Steinbrenner, J. R., Hume, K., Odom, S. L., Morin, K. L., Nowell, S. W., Tomaszewski, B., Szendrey, S., McIntyre, N. S., Yücesoy-Özkan, S., & Savage, M. N. (2020). Evidence-based practices for children, youth, and young adults with autism. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice Review Team. https://ncaep.fpg.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/EBP-Report-2020.pdf

• Savage, M. N., & AFIRM Team. (2024). Differential reinforcement. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules. https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/differential-reinforcement

• Savage, M. N., & AFIRM Team. (2024). Differential reinforcement brief packet. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/Differential-Reinforcement-Brief-Packet-Savage-AFIRM-Team-Updated-2024-1.pdf

• Hyman, S. L., Levy, S. E., Myers, S. M., & Council on Children with Disabilities, Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. (2020). Identification, evaluation, and management of children with autism spectrum disorder. Pediatrics, 145(1), e20193447. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-3447