Working Memory and Reinforcement Schedule Jointly Determine Reinforcement Learning in Children: Potential Implications for Behavioral Parent Training.

Elien Segers,Tom Beckers,Laurence Claes,Hilde Geurts,Saskia Van Der Oord,Marina Danckaerts

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00394

Elien Segers, Tom Beckers + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00394

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Abstract

Introduction: Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) is often provided for childhood psychiatric disorders. These disorders have been shown to be associated with working memory impairments. BPT is based on operant learning principles, yet how operant principles shape behavior (through the partial reinforcement (PRF) extinction effect, i.e., greater resistance to extinction that is created when behavior is reinforced partially rather than continuously) and the potential role of working memory therein is scarcely studied in children. This study explored the PRF extinction effect and the role of working memory therein using experimental tasks in typically developing children.Methods: Ninety-seven children (age 6–10) completed a working memory task and an operant learning task, in which children acquired a response-sequence rule under either continuous or PRF (120 trials), followed by an extinction phase (80 trials). Data of 88 children were used for analysis.Results: The PRF extinction effect was confirmed: We observed slower acquisition and extinction in the PRF condition as compared to the continuous reinforcement (CRF) condition. Working memory was negatively related to acquisition but not extinction performance.Conclusion: Both reinforcement contingencies and working memory relate to acquisition performance. Potential implications for BPT are that decreasing working memory load may enhance the chance of optimally learning through reinforcement.

Highlights

Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) is often provided for childhood psychiatric disorders
As expected, compared to partially reinforced children, continuously reinforced children produced a higher percentage of correct responses during the acquisition phase (CRF: M = 74.85, SD = 20.06; partial reinforcement (PRF): M = 65.69, SD = 20.17) and a lower percentage during the extinction phase (CRF: M = 51.31, SD = 20.22; PRF: M = 58.65, SD = 20.83)
The purpose of this study was to investigate the differential effect of continuous reinforcement (CRF) and PRF on response acquisition and extinction and to evaluate whether working memory (WM) is implicated in simple operant learning performance

Summary

Introduction

Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) is often provided for childhood psychiatric disorders These disorders have been shown to be associated with working memory impairments. For childhood externalizing behavior various forms of behavioral parent training (BPT) have been established as first-line, evidence-based treatment (e.g., Chorpita et al, 2002; Evans et al, 2014). These interventions, which are generally developed to improve the parent-child relationships and reduce the child’s misbehavior, are mainly based on behavior management. Enhanced experimental knowledge may give valuable information for treatment development and adaptation (Emmelkamp et al, 2014)

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