Teacher‐Led DRA With Prompting to Improve Mealtime Behaviors in Inclusive Preschools

ABSTRACT

The present study examined the effectiveness of a teacher‐implemented Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA) with prompting intervention on mealtime behavioral challenges among preschool children with developmental disabilities. Four preschool‐age children participated in this study, each exhibiting problematic mealtime behaviors, including crying, kicking, selective eating, and difficulty maintaining attention during classroom mealtimes. This study used a multiple baseline design across participants, lasting two months with 9–42 intervention sessions, and a 10‐min whole‐interval sampling recording procedure during mealtimes in preschool. The intervention specifically focused on establishing three appropriate mealtime behaviors: independent use of a spoon, quiet sitting, and maintaining focus on the eating task during mealtimes. Classroom teachers delivered individualized DRA protocols by providing reinforcement contingent on appropriate mealtime behaviors, while simultaneously placing inappropriate behaviors on an extinction schedule. The prompting procedures were systematically withdrawn when the children demonstrated increasingly consistent performance. The intervention resulted in significant improvements in appropriate mealtime behaviors and a reduction in problematic behaviors for all participants. Positive mealtime behaviors were sustained during subsequent snack‐time observations conducted in the post‐intervention phase. The teacher reported high satisfaction with their effectiveness but also identified practical challenges in implementing the procedures while managing broader classroom responsibilities.