Carla’s social interaction with family is the behavior that will be modified—increased.  Six concepts that are incorporated into her plan are shaping, points system, positive reinforcement, secondary reinforcement, primary reinforcement, and continuous/ intermittent reinforcement. In addition to the six, target behavior, rewards, baseline measurement, and prompting will also be used. 
Target behavior is described in A).  Points system, positive reinforcement, primary reinforcement, secondary reinforcement, continuous/intermittent/random reinforcement are all described in E) and F).
The overall goal is for Carla to return to the level of interaction with her family that she was at before she was drugged and raped. The behaviorist will obtain a baseline measurement to have a starting point to measure progress. The baseline measurement will be obtained from Carla. She states that she does not visit or interact with family at all. The behaviorist will work with Carla to help her increase her family interactions. She will be given rewards for her progress (E and F).The worker may prompt her to start the process or at any time during. Prompting is when the worker reminds Carla of the reward or gives her subtle hints to remind her to take the steps to make the phone call, go visit with family, or have her family come to her home. The worker will utilize chaining, which is breaking down the large goal of returning to previous level of interaction to smaller goals like a short phone call, to a longer phone call, to a short visit, to a lengthy visit. Carla will be rewarded—points or immediate show of affection—when she accomplishes these smaller feats.  Shaping will be utilized—especially in the start—when Carla does smaller tasks such as pick up the telephone, whether she makes a call or not, she will be rewarded. This should help her to build the confidence to complete the goals and prevent her from becoming discouraged.
Carla will be required to make at least one phone call per day and one visit per week in the beginning part of her plan. Her progress will dictate when this will be advanced. Her father will be administering her points and rewards from the points. Her family will all be rewarding her with the positive praise and primary reinforcements of love, food and drink.


The target behavior that Carla is displaying that should be changed is her withdraw from family—decreased social interactions with family. The behavior outcome should increase social interactions with family. Carla has refused to visit her parents and other relatives since the incident. Her level of social interactions with family is the target behavior.
Appropriate behavior assumptions for Carla’s behavior modification plan to increase social interactions with her family are: 
Any behavior that is learned can be unlearned.  Carla has learned this new behavior of withdraw; therefore she can unlearn this behavior.
Personal history and development issues do not prevent behavioral change. The rape will not prevent her from having a successful behavior modification outcome.
Changed behavior can change attitudes, feelings, and moods. If Carla changes her behavior of withdrawing from family to embracing her family, her attitude will be more positive. She should have lower depression and her mood will be better.
