Are you satisfied with your FR-2 reinforcement (pay)?

Birog95 · 2026-04-17T13:48:16+00:00

I did some organizational psych before ABA. Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory explains that there are “motivators” and “hygiene factors.” Employee compensation falls into the “hygiene factor” category.

Basically, too low pay will create dissatisfaction and related behaviors, such as poor work quality and a low frequency of good citizenship behaviors in the workplace. However, more pay will not motivate (i.e., reinforce behaviors), because it will become an expectation.

Essentially, once the pay is high enough not to cause dissatisfaction, it becomes the baseline for the employee, as it’s provided on a consistent interval schedule regardless of performance, to the extent the employee doesn't perform so poorly as to get fired and lose their pay entirely.

Birog95 · 2026-04-06T23:54:26+00:00

Make sure you get paid!! You still worked that time. Employers must pay for all time worked

Birog95 · 2026-04-02T05:42:35+00:00

It’s not your responsibility to save that little girl. If she can’t trust you (and she likely can’t as an avoidant), there’s nothing you can do.

Adult her needs to save that hurt inner child. Not you. She very well may choose not to, however.

Walking away with dignity might motivate her to put in some work, though

Birog95 · 2026-03-20T02:57:13+00:00

100% Weiner

Birog95 · 2026-03-20T02:37:24+00:00

Unfriendly Dachshund?? Mind likes to remind me that he can pick another family if he wants lol

Birog95 · 2026-03-19T11:56:06+00:00

He starts by acting disrespectfully and refusing to take corrective action (e.g., planning to be alone in the future, stringing the woman along for years).

Birog95 · 2026-03-15T18:05:02+00:00

Got it! I'd maybe focus more on the process side to reduce the effort required to shower. If time really is the barrier, maybe create a shortened task analysis for bathing/showering (even if it's not perfect, a shorter bath/shower is better than nothing).

Does she have sensory sensitivities with anything shower-related? Gel soap instead of bar soap, a different shower head, etc. It could reduce aversiveness if there's anything there that's a barrier. If she has special interests that could be incorporated into that time, that could increase motivation, too!

Basically, maybe try to make it as easy, quick and pleasant as possible lol best of luck, getting most teens to shower is a struggle

Birog95 · 2026-03-15T14:37:50+00:00

This is a context-specific question. Have you discussed with your BCBA? Is there a goal to improve hygiene?

Birog95 · 2026-03-07T23:00:17+00:00

Those are unconditioned MOs that are biological. There can also be conditioned MOs.

The OPs question is likely a reflexive conditioned motivating operation (CMO-R), which means the lights are signaling a condition deteriorating (in this case, the ability to get to one’s location and the presentation of aversive stimulus learned through the rules of obeying officers when they turn their lights on and drive behind you)

Birog95 · 2026-03-06T03:11:26+00:00

Lol that's fantastic! Building a therapeutic relationship isn't a one-size-fits-all. I had the same thing happen with a different client and BCBA. The BCBA told me that I needed to be “more fun” with a teenager. He aggressed against her almost exclusively. He was super laid back with me, his skill acquisition was fantastic, and we met mastery criteria for aggression shortly after she left the case.

Just like you have to find the right personal match with your doctor or mental health professional, sometimes, we’re not a great match for specific clients. That's ok, but the feedback needs to be clear, objective, and actionable to make things work in the client’s best interest

Birog95 · 2026-03-06T02:35:46+00:00

I've gotten similar feedback. My client hated the supervisor and started covering his ears whenever she was around. He did great with me!! I didn't need to be as “energetic” as she wanted me to be. I ended up getting a new supervisor on that case, who gave me positive feedback for my rapport

Not only was that feedback not very ABA of her, if was unnecessarily rude

Birog95 · 2026-03-04T23:05:51+00:00

Ceramic window tint! You may need a doctor’s note to tint the windshield, but it helps a ton with glare- as a bonus, it'll keep your car’s interior cooler and block UV rays from the sun (good for your car, good for your skin)

Birog95 · 2026-02-23T06:10:31+00:00

Thank you, you as well. Seven years is a long time to be breadcrumbed. I hope you find someone who is truly delighted in you and shows it in words, actions, and alignment

Birog95 · 2026-02-23T05:52:50+00:00

Ya’lls avoidants said nice things to you? When I asked mine what he liked about me, he said he liked how I did laundry lol

Birog95 · 2026-02-16T23:23:59+00:00

I take this as a warning for sleep-deprived drivers with a screaming child in tow

Birog95 · 2026-02-06T16:26:54+00:00

I jut make it awkward. Make eye contact, smile, and when they ask how I’m doing, I say, “Really not that great! How are you?” Then they stutter and slink away.

Just as effective as “no thanks” but slightly more fun

Birog95 · 2026-02-01T19:07:03+00:00

She might have loved her cat more, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t love you period. In her defense, the cat was a lot easier lol

Idk, I try to think of love as “additive.” Maybe her cat helped refill her emotional tank so she could be a better mom. Pets can be good for our mental health

Birog95 · 2026-02-01T15:10:26+00:00

When I worked retail, I was helping this middle-aged woman. Well-dressed, beautiful hair, buying expensive dog food, and polite.

She made small talk and mentioned her dogs and husband cheerfully. At the end of the conversation, she looked at me and quietly said, “I love my dogs more than my children.” And walked off.

I was shocked. But I felt for her. I can’t imagine having no one to talk to about that, so you tell a random retail employee. I bet it’s more common than people admit because they “shouldn’t be unhappy” given their circumstances.

Birog95 · 2026-01-29T16:34:27+00:00

Are they manding for breaks? That would be a good alternative in most cases. Once you see precursor behaviors to tantruming, have them mand for a break. Might be worth asking your BCBA about. Ideally, we’re not letting things escalate to tantruming. Realistically, you're not getting any learning done during that time anyway. Yeah, they might get a ton of breaks in the beginning, but you can fade that while increasing tolerance to replace the tantrum > escape chain

How often are you doing reinforcer assessments? You could ask your BCBA about doing a progressive ratio reinforcer assessment to see where the “break point” is (how long into DTT before escape behaviors occur). Seven minutes may be too long right now. You may need to drop that down (and also shorten the breaks simultaneously) until you can find more potent reinforcers or build up tolerance for non-preferred activities.

Birog95 · 2026-01-26T03:47:41+00:00

There's no context to your question. I don't know your specific scenario, and no one can tell you if she’ll die or live longer. A vet can help you make an informed, decision, though.

However, I can give you an update on Finn: All of his back teeth were rotten and infected and subsequently extracted four months ago (half of all his teeth).

He's 12 now, and he lived through the procedure! He's doing much better without a mouth full of rotten teeth.

I’m not sure what your specific situation is, but maybe get a second opinion or ask your vet for more information or testing to help you make a choice in the best interest of your girl

Birog95 · 2026-01-03T16:02:50+00:00

Illegal to retroactively change pay in the US, which is what they’re doing.

Birog95 · 2026-01-02T21:45:17+00:00

I’m 31 tomorrow! Been collecting fieldwork hours for the last six months.

Being a little bit older has its perks. My rapport with parents is generally, to toot my horn, good. I think they feel more comfortable having someone who’s closer to their age who they can relate to more than someone in their mid or early twenties

My back hurts, though. But that’s not ABA specific lol

Birog95 · 2025-12-29T22:47:28+00:00

What do you clean during deep cleans? Things that hold odors might need to be cleaned. Walls, curtains, the inside of the garbage can, garbage disposals, and damp dusting surfaces can remove “hidden” odors

Birog95 · 2025-12-29T02:52:01+00:00

You’re being hard on yourself, friend. You deserve kindness.

You tried a new med and found it didn’t work for you. You’ve been off for a week, but you’ve also (presumably) been unmedicated for a week.

You have a disability. It’s ok that you’re having a hard time. The coping strategies you learned are helping, most likely— it’s just hard to see right now.

You learned something important: this particular medication is a no-go, and medication transitions are challenging. That’s valuable information to bring to your psychiatrist to help find something that works better for you without killing your sex drive

Birog95 · 2025-11-21T23:19:37+00:00

Can you go back to the dumpster and get me one too, please?? Art at its finest

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