TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH ON THE RELAPSE OF OPERANT BEHAVIOR

Abstract

Behavioral treatments for problem behavior arranging differential reinforcement can result in relapse due to a range of conditions. Basic research using nonhuman animal models in particular is useful because relevant behavioral processes can be revealed through systematic research that is impossible or unethical in clinical situations.Because relapse in clinical situations often will be determined by multiple factors, a range of preclinical animal models exists to isolate the influence of environmental events contributing to relapse.For example, resurgence procedures are ideal for assessing processes relevant to relapse due to failures in treatment integrity with differential–reinforcement treatments, which is common in clinical situations.We review our efforts to uncover fundamental behavioral processes underlying the resurgence of previously extinguished behavior upon extinguishing a more recently reinforced behavior.Furthermore, we use behavioral momentum theory and contextual control of behavior to provide different ways to understand the processes contributing to relapse and offer different avenues for mitigating relapse effects.Through the lenses of these frameworks, we assess the relative contribution of behavioral processes related to stimulus control, reinforcer control, and response competition to relapse.