Table 1.
Primary differences between DTT and PRT
| DTT | PRT | |
|---|---|---|
| Instructional Materials & Task | Chosen by the therapist, not varied during acquisition | Chosen by child, varied frequently |
| Teaching Situation | Typically in a structured manner (e.g., child-sized table) | Typically in play-based manner (e.g., on floor, during daily routine, child-sized table) |
| Reinforcement Contingency1 | Correct responses or successive approximations | Correct responses and good attempts |
| Consequences | Indirect reinforcement (reinforcers not directly related to the target response | Direct reinforcement (direct response-reinforcer relationship) |
| Generalization | Focus after acquisition | Focus throughout treatment |
1
Successive approximations involve reinforcing a narrow range of lower-level approximations and increasing systematically based on the child’s consistent expression of the previous response (and subsequent extinction of earlier responses upon mastery). Reinforcing good attempts involves reinforcement of most reasonable, goal-directed attempts (i.e. wider and less systematic range of responses).