Tasks which are challenging yet attainable facilitate interest and improve performance. In evaluating how to manage frustration and best teach skills to brain injured patients, a comparison was made to teaching children to read. Managing frustration when teaching new tasks to the brain injured patient is extremely important. These persons, already concerned about their performance, are frequently aware that they are being challenged by tasks they once considered simple. A flexible, rewarding, and understandable schedule of reinforcement also needs to be present.
Reinforcement consists of feedback regarding the accuracy of performance coupled with social praise.
In the initial stages of learning, feedback should be provided on a continuous schedule. This frequent feedback is effective in assisting the person acquire a new skill. As the person progresses, the schedule of reinforcement should change to a fixed ratio to assist with consolidation of the new learning. This fixed ratio schedule of reinforcement is both more practical and less resistive to extinction than continuous reinforcement. Finally, as a person gains skill and confidence, constant or intermittent reinforcement in no longer as important and feedback can be provided in random intervals determined by the therapist.