Abstract
Response cost and time-out are behavior change tactics that have been applied widely as part of intervention efforts to reduce problematic behaviors of excess (e.g., aggression, self-injurious behavior [SIB], property destruction, noncompliance, disruptive behavior, tantrums, pica) demonstrated by individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other developmental disorders. Both response cost and time-out procedures have been demonstrated to be effective in isolation as well as in combination with other behavior change tactics (e.g., noncontingent reinforcement [NCR]; differential reinforcement of other behaviors [DRO]; differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors [DRA]; stimulus control procedures). In this chapter, we describe the principles from which response cost and time-out are derived; relevant basic findings that predated applications of the procedures; examples of the clinical application of the procedures; and considerations for their use including advantages, disadvantages, and ethical considerations.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
AAIDD (2020). Aversive procedures: Position statement of AAIDD.
Baer, D. M. (1960). Escape and avoidance responses of pre-school children to two schedules of reinforcement withdrawal. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 3(2), 155–160. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1960.3-155
Baer, D. M. (1971). Let’s take another look at punishment. Psychology Today, 5(5), 32–34.
Bagwell, A., Falcomata, T. S., Ramirez, A., Vargas Londono, F., Shpall, C., and Swinnea, S. (in preparation). Noncontingent access to edible reinforcers effectively reduces bruxism maintained by automatic reinforcement and is related to high preferred item engagement.
Bartlett, S. M., Rapp, J. T., Krueger, T. K., & Henrickson, M. L. (2011). The use of response cost to treat spitting by a child with autism. Behavioral Interventions, 26(1), 76–83. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.322
Baron, A., & Kaufman, A. (1966). Human, free-operant avoidance of “time out” from monetary reinforcement. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 9(5), 557–565. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaeb.1966.9-557
Blampied, N. M., & Kahan, E. (1992). Acceptability of alternative punishments. Behavior Modification, 16(3), 400–413. https://doi.org/10.1177/01454455920163006
Buckley, S. D., & Newchok, D. K. (2005). An evaluation of simultaneous presentation and differential reinforcement with response cost to reduce packing. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 38(3), 405–409. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2005.71-04
Board, B. A. C. (2014). Professional and ethical compliance code for behavior analysts.
Borrego, J., Ibanez, E. S., Spendlove, S. J., & Pemberton, J. R. (2007). Treatment acceptability among Mexican American parents. Behavior Therapy, 38(3), 217–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2006.08.007
Briesch, A. M., Briesch, J. M., & Chafouleas, S. M. (2015). Investigating the usability of classroom management strategies among elementary schoolteachers. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 17(1), 5–14. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098300714531827
Capriotti, M. R., Brandt, B. C., Ricketts, E. J., Espil, F. M., & Woods, D. W. (2012). Comparing the effects of differential reinforcement of other behavior and response-cost contingencies on tice in youth with Tourette syndrome. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 45(2), 251–263. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2012.45-251
CCBD. (1990). Position paper on use of behavior reduction strategies with children with behavioral disorders. Behavioral Disorders, 15(4), 243–260.
CCBD. (2009). CCBD’s position summary on the use of seclusion in school settings. Behavioral Disorders, 34(4), 235–243. https://doi.org/10.1177/019874290903400405
Conyers, C., Miltenberger, R., Maki, A., Barenz, R., Jurgens, M., Sailer, A., Haugen, M., & Kopp, B. (2004). A comparison of response cost and differential reinforcement of other behavior to reduce disruptive behavior in a preschool classroom. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 37(3), 411–415. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2004.37-411
Corralejo, S. M., Jensen, S. A., Greathouse, A. D., & Ward, L. E. (2018). Parameters of time-out: Research update and comparison to parenting programs, books, and online recommendations. Behavior Therapy, 49(1), 99–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2017.09.005
Curtis, D. F., Pisecco, S., Hamilton, R. J., & Moore, D. W. (2006). Teacher perceptions of classroom interventions for children with ADHD: A cross-cultural comparison of teachers in the United States and New Zealand. School Psychology Quarterly, 21(2), 171–196. https://doi.org/10.1521/scpq.2006.21.2.171
DeJager, B., Houlihan, D., Filter, K. J., Mackie, P. F. E., & Klein, L. (2020). Comparing the effectiveness and ease of implementation of token economy, response cost, and a combination condition in rural elementary school classrooms. Journal of Rural Mental Health, 44(1), 39–50. https://doi.org/10.1037/rmh0000123
Donaldson, M. J., & Vollmer, T. R. (2011). An evaluation and comparison of time-out procedures with and without release contingencies. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 44(4), 693–705. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2011.44-693
Donaldson, J. M., Vollmer, T. R., Yakich, T. M., & Van Camp, C. (2013). Effects of a reduced time-out interval on compliance with the time-out instruction. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46(2), 369–378. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.40
Eid, A., Jobeir, A., Alhaqbani, O., AlSaud, A., & Fryling, M. J. (2019). Assessment of parental acceptability and preference for behavioral interventions for childhood problem behavior in Saudi Arabia. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 41(4), 237–241. https://doi.org/10.1080/07317107.2019.1659548
Elliot, S. N., & Von Brock Treuting, M. (1991). The behavior intervention rating scale: Development and validation of a pretreatment acceptability and effectiveness measure. Journal of School Psychology, 29(1), 43–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-4405(91)90014-I
Everett, G. R., Olmi, D. J., Edwards, R. P., Tingstrom, D. H., Sterling-Turner, H. E., & Christ, T. J. (2007). An empirical investigation of time-out with and without escape extinction to treat escape-maintained noncompliance. Behavior Modification, 31(4), 412–434. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445506297725
Falcomata, T. S., Roane, H. S., & Pabico, R. R. (2007). Unintentional stimulus control during the treatment of pica displayed by a young man with autism. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 1(4), 350–359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2006.12.004
Ferster, C. B. (1958). Control of behavior in chimpanzees and pigeons by time out from positive reinforcement. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 72(8), 1–38. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0093787
Ferster, C. B. (1960). Suppression of a performance under differential reinforcement of low rates by a pre-time-out stimulus. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 3(2), 143–153. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1960.3-143
Harris, K. R. (1985). Definitional, parametric, and procedural considerations in timeout interventions and research. Exceptional Children, 51(4), 279–288.
Heffer, R. W., & Kelley, M. L. (1987). Mothers’ acceptance of behavioral interventions for children: The influence of parent race and income. Behavior Therapy, 18(2), 153–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7894(87)80039-4
Hine, J. F., Ardoin, S. P., & Call, N. A. (2018). Token economies: Using basic experimental research to guide practical applications. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 48(3), 145–154. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-017-9376-5
Holland, E. L., & McLaughlin, T. F. (1982). Using public posting and group consequences to manage student behavior during supervision. The Journal of Educational Research, 76(1), 29–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.1982.10885419
Iwata, B. A. (1988). The development and adoption of controversial default technologies. The Behavior Analyst, 11(2), 149–157. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392468
Iwata, B. A., Rolider, N. R., & Dozier, C. L. (2009). Evaluation of timeout programs through phased withdrawal. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 22(2), 203–209. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-3148.2008.00489.x
Jones, M. L., Eyberg, S. M., Adams, C. D., & Boggs, S. R. (1998). Treatment acceptability of behavioral interventions for children: An assessment by mothers of children with disruptive behavior disorders. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 20(4), 15–26. https://doi.org/10.1300/J019v20n04_02
Kazdin, A. E. (1972). Response cost: The removal of conditioned reinforcers for therapeutic change. Behavior Therapy, 3(4), 533–546. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7894(72)80001-7
Leitenberg, H. (1965). Is time-out from positive reinforcement an aversive event? A review of the experimental evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 64(6), 428. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0022657
Long, A. C. J., Miller, F. G., & Upright, J. J. (2019). Classroom management for ethnic-racial minority students: A meta-analysis of single-case design studies. School Psychology, 34(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000305
Mah, J. W. T., & Johnston, C. (2012). Cultural variations in mothers’ acceptance of and intent to use behavioral child management techniques. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 21(3), 486–497. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-011-9502-z
McGoey, K. E., & DuPaul, G. J. (2000). Token reinforcement and response cost procedures: Reducing the disruptive behavior of preschool children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. School Psychology Quarterly, 15(3), 330–343. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0088790
Miller, D. L., & Kelley, M. L. (1992). Treatment acceptability: The effects of parent gender, marital adjustment, and child behavior. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 14(1), 11–23. https://doi.org/10.1300/J019v14n01_02
Miltenberger, R. G., Parrish, J. M., Rickert, V., & Kohr, M. (1989). Assessing treatment acceptability with consumers of outpatient child behavior management services. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 11(1), 35–44. https://doi.org/10.1300/J019v11n01_03
Nelson, C. M., & Rutherford, R. B. (1983). Timeout revisited: Guidelines for its use in special education. Exceptional Education Quarterly, 3(4), 56–67.
Nipe, T. A., Dowdy, A., Quigley, J., Gill, A., & Weiss, M. J. (2018). Increasing the wearing of multiple prescription prosthetic devices. Education and Treatment of Children, 41(3), 331–344. https://doi.org/10.1353/etc.2018.0017
Nolan, J. D., & Filter, K. J. (2012). A function-based classroom behavior intervention using non-contingent reinforcement plus response cost. Education and Treatment of Children, 35(3), 419–430. https://doi.org/10.1353/etc.2012.0017
Pisecco, S., Huzinec, C., & Curtis, D. (2001). The effects of child characteristics on teachers’ acceptability of classroom-based behavioral strategies and psychostimulant medication for the treatment of ADHD. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 30(3), 413–421. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15374424JCCP3003_12
Plessy, K. S., Long, A. C. J., & Kelley, M. L. (2018). The influence of race and income on community mothers’ acceptance of child management methods. Behavior Therapy, 49(5), 668–680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2017.12.011
Richins, M. L., & Chaplin, L. N. (2015). Material parenting: How the use of goods in parenting fosters materialism in the next generation. Journal of Consumer Research., 41(6), 1333–1357. https://doi.org/10.1086/680087
Roane, H. S., Fisher, W. W., Call, N. A., & Kelley, M. E. (2005). Self-injury, aggression and pica. In I. L. Rubin & A. C. Crocker (Eds.), Developmental disabilities: Delivery of medical care for children and adults (p. 506). Brooks Publishing.
Ryan, J. B., Peterson, R. L., & Rozalski, M. (2007). State policies concerning the use of seclusion timeout in schools. Education and Treatment of Children, 30(4), 215–239. https://doi.org/10.1353/etc.2007.0032
Shillingsburg, M. A., Lomas, J. E., & Bradley, D. (2012). Treatment of vocal stereotypy in an analogues and classroom setting. Behavioral Interventions, 27(3), 151–163. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.1340
Sigafoos, J., Arthur, M., & O’Reilly, M. (2003). Challenging behavior and developmental disability. Whurr.
Skiba, R. J., & Raison, J. (1990). Relationship between the use of timeout and academic achievement. Exceptional Children, 57(1), 36–46. https://doi.org/10.1177/001440299005700105
Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior.. Macmillan.
Slocum, S. K., Vollmer, T. R., & Donaldson, J. M. (2019). Effects of delayed time-out on problem behavior of preschool children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 52(4), 994–1004. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.640
St. Peter, C. C., Byrd, J. D., Pence, S. T., & Foreman, A. P. (2016). Effects of treatment-integrity failures on a response-cost procedure. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 49(2), 308–328. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.291
Stary, A. K., Hupp, S. D. A., Jewell, J. D., & Everett, G. E. (2016). Parent acceptability of time-out, spanking, response cost, and positive reinforcement. The Behavior Therapist, 39(4), 112–117.
Taylor, J., & Miller, M. (1997). When timeout works some of the time: The importance of treatment integrity and functional assessment. School Psychology Quarterly, 12(1), 4–22. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0088943
Turner, H. S., & Watson, T. S. (1999). Consultants guide for the use of time-out in the preschool and elementary classroom. Psychology in the Schools, 36(2), 135–148. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1520-6807(199903)36:2<135::AID-PITS6>3.0.CO;2-3
Van Houten, R., Axelrod, S., Bailey, J. S., Favell, J. E., Foxx, R. M., Iwata, B. A., & Lovaas, O. I. (1988). The right to effective behavioral treatment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 21(4), 381–384. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1988.21-381
Vollmer, T. R., Hagopian, L. P., Bailey, J. S., Dorsey, M. F., Hanley, G. P., Lennox, D., … Spreat, S. (2011). The Association for Behavior Analysis International position statement on restraint and seclusion. The Behavior Analyst, 34(1), 103–110. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392238
Walker, H. M. (1983). Applications of response cost in school settings: Outcomes, issues, and recommendations. Exceptional Education Quarterly, 3(4), 47–55. https://doi.org/10.1177/074193258300300411
Watkins, N., & Rapp, J. T. (2014). Environmental enrichment and response cost: Immediate and subsequent effects of stereotypy. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 47(1), 186–191. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.97
Warzak, W. J., Floress, M. T., Kellen, M., Kazmerski, J. S., & Chopko, S. (2012). Trends in time-out research: Are we focusing our efforts where our efforts are needed? The Behavior Therapist, 35(2), 30–33.
Weiner, H. (1962). Some effects of response cost upon human operant behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 5(2), 201–208. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1962.5-201
Woods, T. S. (1982). Reducing severe aggressive and self-injurious behavior: A nonintrusive, home based approach. Behavioral Disorders, 7(3), 180–188. https://doi.org/10.1177/019874298200700311
Wolf, T. L., McLaughlin, T. F., & Williams, R. L. (2006). Time-out interventions and strategies: A brief review and recommendations. International Journal of Special Education, 21(3), 22–29.
Zirpoli, T. J. (2012). Behavior management: Positive applications for teachers (6th ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bagwell, A., Barnett, M., Falcomata, T.S. (2022). Response Cost and Time-Out from Reinforcement. In: Leaf, J.B., Cihon, J.H., Ferguson, J.L., Weiss, M.J. (eds) Handbook of Applied Behavior Analysis Interventions for Autism. Autism and Child Psychopathology Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96478-8_25
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96478-8_25
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-96477-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-96478-8
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)