Backward chaining focuses on which part of the behavior chain?

Backward chaining is a teaching strategy used in behavior analysis that emphasizes the final behavior in a behavior chain. This approach starts from the last step of a task or behavior and works backward to the first step. By doing this, the learner experiences success early in the learning process, as they complete the final step first, which can be reinforcing and motivating.

In this method, once the final behavior is mastered, the second-to-last behavior is introduced before it, and so on, until the entire chain is learned. This technique helps learners understand the significance of each step in relation to the complete task, promoting retention and skill acquisition effectively.

Other methods of chaining, such as forward chaining, focus on starting from the first behavior and building up to the final behavior, which is different from the backward chaining approach. This unique focus on the final behavior is what makes backward chaining particularly effective in scenarios where immediate reinforcement can increase motivation and improve learning outcomes.