Before using a secondary positive reinforcer with a client, what must the therapist establish?

Before using a secondary positive reinforcer with a client, what must the therapist establish?

• A. use response priming.
• B. remove all aversive stimuli.
• C. establish a rapport with the consumer.
• D. provide reinforcement sampling.

Answer: (C)

Establishing rapport sets up the trust and collaboration needed for reinforcement to be effective. Secondary positive reinforcers (like tokens or praise) gain value because the client has learned to associate them with meaningful outcomes. When the therapist and client have a good, respectful relationship, the client is more likely to understand, accept, and stay motivated by the reinforcement system, and to participate actively in earning rewards. This foundation also helps ensure the reinforcers are chosen based on the client’s preferences, making them meaningful and predictable. Priming, removing aversive stimuli, and reinforcement sampling can be useful in other contexts, but they are not required prerequisites for using a secondary reinforcer.

Establishing rapport sets up the trust and collaboration needed for reinforcement to be effective. Secondary positive reinforcers (like tokens or praise) gain value because the client has learned to associate them with meaningful outcomes. When the therapist and client have a good, respectful relationship, the client is more likely to understand, accept, and stay motivated by the reinforcement system, and to participate actively in earning rewards. This foundation also helps ensure the reinforcers are chosen based on the client’s preferences, making them meaningful and predictable.

Priming, removing aversive stimuli, and reinforcement sampling can be useful in other contexts, but they are not required prerequisites for using a secondary reinforcer.