RBT Generalization and Maintenance

New conditions versus later in time

Generalization is correct responding in new conditions. Maintenance is correct responding after teaching thins. Neither is “the skill looks pretty in the clinic.” Name whether the probe changed the setting or changed the schedule →. Discrimination training builds tight stimulus control first. Generalization loosens it on purpose. Acquisition lists both tasks.

Stimulus generalization: the response occurs to similar cues (other cups, other greetings).

Response generalization: a related response appears (other ways to request).

Setting/people generalization: a new room or technician.

Maintenance: the skill still occurs next week with a thinner schedule or fewer prompts.

How the plan usually programs them

Teach with multiple examples if written. Fade prompts. Thin reinforcement. Probe in the target setting. Record the probe as a probe, not as a teaching trial, if the sheet says so.

Original teaching sketch: A mand taught only with one bubble container may not occur with a different bottle at grandma’s house. That is a generalization miss, not “noncompliance.” A mand that occurs in the clinic every session but disappears after two weeks of thinner tokens is a maintenance miss.

These sketches are original.

DTT versus naturalistic teaching often matters because naturalistic teaching can program generalization earlier. That is a plan choice, not a technician improvisation.

Prompting that never fades will look like a clinic-only skill.

When generalization and maintenance still swap, use stems that only change what was different about the probe →.

Role limits

Do not take the client to an unplanned community setting because you personally want to “generalize.” Follow the plan and supervision.

Do not secretly keep a continuous reinforcement schedule after the plan thinned it, just to keep the graph pretty. That delays maintenance.

The what-to-study guide keeps these inside Domain C.

If probe types are the miss, keep a generalization-versus-maintenance block →.

A perfect table skill that never leaves the table is unfinished teaching.

Then mix these probes into Domain C practice → beside discrimination items so you know when tightness is the goal.