In the IWATA study, which condition was used to test social disapproval (attention)?

• A. Structured Play
• B. Social Disapproval
• C. Alone
• D. Academic Demand

Answer: (B)

Testing social disapproval (attention) involves making attention contingent on the occurrence of the target behavior. In this condition, the therapist provides attention—often in a disapproving or scolding way—only after the behavior happens. If the behavior increases when attention is the consequence, it suggests the behavior is maintained by social attention. Other IWATA conditions examine different contingencies: structured play offers noncontingent, positive interaction to see if problem behavior decreases; the alone condition removes social interaction to assess automatic reinforcement; and the demand condition introduces tasks to test escape from demands. So the attention (social disapproval) condition is the one that directly tests attention as a reinforcer.