What should be done after reinforcing an appropriate behavior consistently during DRA?

After reinforcing an appropriate behavior consistently during Differential Reinforcement of Alternative behavior (DRA), it is important to gradually fade the prompts. This process involves reducing support or cues over time, which helps the individual to become more independent in engaging in the desired behavior without needing constant prompts or assistance.

Gradual fading is essential because it supports the individual's ability to maintain the newly learned behavior in various contexts and prepares them for generalization beyond the reinforcement setting. The goal of DRA is to strengthen a desirable behavior while decreasing an unwanted behavior, and fading prompts allows the increased independence necessary for the individual to consistently demonstrate the appropriate behavior in natural environments.

Continuing reinforcement indefinitely may lead to dependence on the reinforcement, which could prevent the individual from internalizing and independently using the target behavior. Switching to response blocking could disrupt the learning process by preventing the individual from engaging in the behavior, and increasing the intensity of reinforcement could lead to potential over-reliance or satiation, undermining the effectiveness of the reinforcer.