You’re working with a child who struggles to communicate their needs. In a moment of frustration, they lash out—hitting, screaming and throwing objects. In that moment, you’re stuck: do you respond and risk reinforcing the behavior? Or do you hold back and risk making the situation worse? These are tough calls that behavior analysts face every day.
For a long time, extinction—stopping reinforcement for problem behaviors—was the go-to strategy in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). The idea was simple: stop reinforcing the behavior, and it will eventually go away. But as we’ve learned, the real world isn’t so simple. Extinction often leads to short-term bursts of more intense behaviors, and it can even harm the person emotionally, especially if they’ve experienced trauma in the past.
Here’s the big question: Could reinforcing a problem behavior actually be the right thing to do? It might seem counterintuitive, but when done with care and purpose, reinforcement can be a powerful tool for safety, trust, and long-term growth. Let’s explore why compassionate approaches in ABA are not only effective but also ethically sound.
Quick Takeaways
- Extinction can lead to dangerous behavior bursts, emotional harm, and long-term ineffectiveness.
- Temporary reinforcement of challenging or target behavior can maintain safety and trust while paving the way for teaching better skills.
- Compassionate strategies like Functional Communication Training (FCT) and Differential Reinforcement (DRA) are more effective and aligned with modern ethical standards in ABA.
Why Extinction Can Backfire
Extinction was developed from early studies in operant conditioning. The theory was that if you stopped reinforcing a behavior, it would eventually disappear. In carefully controlled settings, this often worked. But when applied to real-life situations with complex behaviors, the risks became clear.
1. Extinction Bursts
When reinforcement is suddenly removed, the behavior can escalate before it decreases—a phenomenon called an extinction burst (Lerman & Iwata, 1996). For example, a child who hits to avoid doing homework might hit harder or more often when the usual escape is denied. These bursts can make the behavior harder to manage and create safety risks.
In these moments, the intensity of the behavior can feel overwhelming for caregivers and practitioners alike. Imagine a student screaming louder and longer in a classroom or a child engaging in more severe aggression at home. These situations highlight how extinction can sometimes make a challenging situation feel unmanageable, particularly if the burst happens in an already stressful environment.
The topography of a behavior (what the behavior looks like) might change during an extinction burst. Using the earlier example, the child might have whined or even doodled to avoid doing homework, but when the demand persisted, the behavior ultimately escalated to hitting. Misusing extinction can actually lead to the intensity and severity of behavior increasing over time.
2. Emotional and Physical Harm
Ignoring problem behaviors can be especially harmful for individuals with a history of trauma. It can reinforce feelings of fear and abandonment (Barrett et al., 2019). For individuals with adverse childhood experiences (ACES), ignoring their attempts at communication—even if maladaptive—might amplify their feelings of rejection and anxiety.
Additionally, ignoring behaviors like self-injury can result in immediate physical harm if safeguards aren’t in place. For example, a child who head-bangs to avoid tasks could seriously injure themselves if their behavior is left unaddressed. Extinction may solve the surface issue while creating bigger emotional and safety concerns that could last far longer than the behavior itself.
3. Real-World Challenges
Applying extinction consistently is difficult. If parents or staff members sometimes ignore a behavior but other times respond, this creates a variable schedule of reinforcement. Instead of reducing the behavior, it can make it stronger (Lattal et al., 2020). For example, a child’s tantrum might last longer because they’ve learned that persistence eventually gets results.
Caregivers may also feel conflicted about applying extinction, especially when the behavior is dangerous or emotionally charged. Imagine a teacher ignoring a student’s loud cries for help during a difficult task—this might not only feel ethically uncomfortable but also disrupt the learning environment for other students.
4. Withholding the Wrong Reinforcer
Extinction assumes that the correct reinforcer for a behavior has been identified. But what if the analysis is wrong? For example, you might ignore a child’s behavior thinking it’s reinforced by attention, but if the actual reinforcer is escape from demands or attention, you may inadvertently reinforce the behavior by not insisting they continue the task. This not only undermines the intervention but also prolongs the time it takes to address the behavior effectively.
For those interested in troubleshooting why a behavior intervention might not be working, check out When the Behavior Plan Isn’t Working: A BCBA®’s Guide to Troubleshooting and Adjusting Interventions. This post provides practical insights for identifying and fixing issues in your plans.
Compassionate Alternatives to Extinction
As ABA evolves, integrating compassionate practices is key to addressing modern ethical concerns. The Future of ABA: Will True Behavior Analysis Survive the Current Drift? explores how the field can adapt to maintain its core principles while advancing ethically.
Why We Needed Change
Early ABA approaches often focused on stopping behaviors rather than teaching new ones. Today, behavior analysts emphasize compassionate, trauma-informed ABA practices that teach skills and address the reasons behind problem behaviors. These proactive reinforcement strategies are rooted in research and a commitment to ethical practice.
Functional Communication Training (FCT)
FCT teaches individuals better ways to communicate their needs. For example, instead of hitting to escape a task, a child might learn to say, “Can I have a break?” or use a picture card to communicate. Research by Hanley et al. (2003) shows that FCT can reduce problem behaviors without needing extinction.
Imagine a child in a busy classroom who often runs out of the room when overwhelmed. Through FCT, they could learn to raise a “break” card or verbally request time to decompress. Over time, this gives them the power to communicate their needs effectively, preventing the escape behavior while respecting their autonomy.
Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behaviors (DRA)
DRA strategies are most effective when part of a comprehensive plan to address the individual’s needs, focusing on proactive reinforcement rather than withholding reinforcement. To explore how to design impactful behavior intervention plans, consider reading The Competing Behavior Pathway: The Secret to Choosing Effective Interventions for your BIP.
DRA focuses on teaching and reinforcing desired behaviors while meeting the underlying function of the problem behavior. For example, if a child yells for attention, instead of ignoring the yelling, you could provide immediate reinforcement when the child quietly raises their hand. This approach ensures the child’s need for attention is met while reducing reliance on maladaptive behaviors.
DRA allows behavior analysts to create interventions that are both functional and meaningful for the individual. By identifying powerful reinforcers tailored to the person’s preferences and aligning them with appropriate behaviors, DRA promotes lasting behavior change. For instance, if a child’s behavior is maintained by access to tangible items, DRA could involve teaching them to request items appropriately and reinforcing those requests consistently.
When implemented without extinction, DRA provides a compassionate way to shift behavior patterns by emphasizing positive reinforcement over punitive approaches, creating a supportive environment for skill development and trust-building.
Noncontingent Reinforcement (NCR)
NCR involves providing reinforcement on a set schedule, no matter what the person is doing. For example, a child who throws objects to escape work might get regular breaks without needing to act out. This reduces the drive to engage in the problem behavior in the first place.
In some cases, NCR can help stabilize situations where behaviors escalate unpredictably. For example, by ensuring a child gets consistent attention throughout the day, they may no longer feel the need to act out just to be noticed.
Understanding the Matching Law in Behavior Analysis
The Matching Law, first described by Herrnstein (1961), is a foundational principle in behavior analysis. It explains how individuals distribute their responses across available options based on the reinforcement they receive. This principle is crucial for understanding why reinforcing challenging behaviors can be an effective and ethical alternative to extinction.
Rather than ignoring or withholding reinforcement for problem behaviors, the Matching Law shows us that reinforcement can be used strategically to guide behavior change. By carefully managing the reinforcement provided for both challenging and desired behaviors, behavior analysts can shift behavior patterns without relying on extinction.
How the Matching Law Works
The Matching Law states that the rate of a specific behavior corresponds to the rate of reinforcement available for that behavior relative to other options. Essentially, individuals choose behaviors that provide the greatest reinforcement. This principle highlights a key truth: if reinforcement is entirely removed for a challenging behavior, but no functional alternative is consistently reinforced, the individual may escalate their challenging behavior—or revert to it later.
Instead of relying on extinction, which can lead to emotional harm or escalation, behavior analysts can use the Matching Law to outcompete challenging behaviors with functional alternatives by making those alternatives more rewarding.
Why It’s OK to Reinforce Challenging Behavior
At first glance, reinforcing a challenging behavior might seem counterintuitive. Doesn’t reinforcement make the behavior stronger? While reinforcement does maintain a behavior in the short term, it can also be a stepping stone to teaching functional alternatives. Reinforcing a challenging behavior temporarily allows practitioners to prioritize safety and trust while setting the stage for skill-building.
For example, a child who engages in aggression to escape a difficult task might be reinforced with a short break. While this appears to “reward” the aggression, it provides immediate relief and prevents escalation. Simultaneously, the behavior analyst can begin teaching the child to request breaks appropriately, gradually shifting the reinforcement to the alternative behavior.
The Matching Law shows us that this approach works because the individual will naturally choose the more effective and consistent option when given the choice between the challenging behavior and the alternative. Reinforcement of the alternative behavior eventually outweighs the need for the challenging one.
Why Extinction Is Unnecessary
Extinction attempts to eliminate a behavior by removing all reinforcement. However, the Matching Law demonstrates that extinction isn’t the only path to behavior reduction. Instead of removing reinforcement entirely, behavior analysts can:
- Provide Reinforcement for Challenging Behavior Strategically: Reinforcing a problem behavior doesn’t mean “giving in.” It means acknowledging the individual’s needs and preventing harm while working toward teaching a replacement behavior.
- Make Alternative Behaviors More Reinforcing: The Matching Law emphasizes that behaviors producing the most consistent and valuable reinforcement will occur more often. By ensuring the alternative behavior provides equal or greater reinforcement than the challenging behavior, extinction becomes unnecessary.
Practical Applications of the Matching Law
- Prioritize Richer Reinforcement for Alternative Behaviors
If a behavior like yelling for attention produces reinforcement sporadically, but raising a hand produces reinforcement consistently and immediately, the individual will naturally choose the alternative over time. This principle allows practitioners to use reinforcement as a teaching tool without relying on extinction to suppress the yelling. - Reinforce Problem Behaviors to Prevent Escalation
A child who throws objects to escape demands may escalate to more dangerous behaviors if ignored. By briefly reinforcing the escape behavior (e.g., giving a short break) while simultaneously teaching the child to request breaks appropriately, the behavior analyst avoids escalation and creates opportunities for skill-building. - Respect the Individual’s Needs
Reinforcing a problem behavior acknowledges the individual’s current limitations while building trust and safety. The Matching Law assures us that as alternatives are reinforced more consistently, problem behaviors will naturally diminish.
Real-World Example
Imagine a child who frequently yells to gain a teacher’s attention. If the teacher applies extinction and ignores the yelling entirely, the child may escalate the behavior (e.g., screaming louder, crying, or throwing items). Instead, the teacher could apply the Matching Law by:
- Reinforcing appropriate behaviors, like raising a hand, with immediate and meaningful attention.
- Reinforcing the yelling minimally by acknowledging the child’s need (e.g., briefly saying, “I hear you. Let’s try raising your hand instead”).
- Gradually reducing the reinforcement for yelling while maintaining consistent reinforcement for the alternative behavior.
Over time, the child learns that raising their hand is a more effective and predictable way to get attention. This approach avoids the emotional distress and risks associated with extinction while achieving the same goal: reducing problem behavior.
Steps to Implement Compassionate Interventions
To ensure your interventions align with person-centered values, review Humanizing ABA: The Power of Person-Centered CEUs in Client Care. This resource highlights the importance of tailoring strategies to meet individual needs.
Step | What It Means | Example |
---|---|---|
1. Conduct Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) | Figure out why the behavior is happening (e.g., escape, attention, sensory, or tangible items). | Observe and interview to find out that a child hits to escape difficult math problems. |
2. Reinforce for Safety | Provide reinforcement temporarily to keep everyone safe and calm. | Letting a child take a short break if they hit during a challenging task. |
3. Teach Replacement Behaviors | Show the person a better way to meet their needs. | Teaching the child to use a visual card to ask for breaks instead of hitting. |
4. Use Differential Reinforcement | Reward the new behavior and stop reinforcing the problem behavior. | Praising the child for using the card and ignoring minor aggressive gestures. |
5. Monitor Progress | Regularly check if the plan is working and make changes as needed. | Adjusting reinforcement schedules as the child becomes more independent with the new skill. |
Bridging Theory and Practice
Supervising others on how to apply compassionate approaches requires strong leadership skills. Changing the Future of ABA: How to Provide Supervision That Creates Leaders offers guidance on how to cultivate the next generation of ethical practitioners.
The key to success lies in creating plans that fit the individual’s needs. A behavior analyst starts by conducting a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) to figure out what the person is trying to achieve through their behavior—like escaping a task, getting attention, or meeting a sensory need.
Once they know the function, they design a plan that includes:
- Reinforcing for Safety: Addressing immediate needs to keep everyone safe and calm.
- Skill Building: Teaching the person how to meet their needs in a better way.
- Training Others: Showing caregivers or staff how to reinforce positive behaviors consistently.
For example, imagine a child who bites during transitions. After the FBA shows that biting helps them avoid transitions, the plan might include:
- Using a visual schedule to prepare them for what’s next.
- Teaching them to request extra time with a simple phrase or gesture.
- Gradually increasing transition demands while reinforcing their appropriate requests.
Why Compassion Is the Future of ABA
Compassionate approaches also recognize the importance of understanding assent and assent withdrawal during interventions. Understanding Assent and Assent Withdrawal in ABA discusses how to prioritize the client’s voice while maintaining ethical practice.
Understanding assent and honoring the individual’s ability to make choices are critical components of compassionate ABA practices. The course Voice and Choice: Assent in Action in ABA Services provides in-depth guidance on how to incorporate assent and choice-making into your interventions. By embedding these principles into your practice, you can create behavior plans that respect the individual’s autonomy while effectively addressing challenging behaviors.
Safety and Trust
Temporary reinforcement isn’t about letting problem behaviors “win”—it’s about keeping the person safe and building trust. When individuals feel supported, they’re more open to learning new skills.
Proven Strategies
Research consistently demonstrates that trauma-informed ABA practices, such as FCT and DRA, are effective for reducing problem behaviors while teaching meaningful, functional alternatives (Hanley et al., 2003; Lattal et al., 2020). These compassionate approaches provide a better path forward than extinction, particularly for individuals with complex needs.
Ethical Practice
The BACB® Ethics Code (2022) emphasizes minimizing harm and respecting dignity. Compassionate approaches meet these standards while improving outcomes for individuals and their families. By focusing on proactive reinforcement strategies, behavior analysts can align their work with the highest ethical standards.
Final Thoughts
ABA is evolving. Moving away from extinction doesn’t mean abandoning science—it means using science in smarter, more compassionate ways. By focusing on strategies that build trust, maintain safety, and teach functional skills, we can create interventions that are both impactful and ethical.
What steps will you take today to create a more compassionate approach to behavior analysis? Explore resources at Master ABA Academy and join the growing movement toward kinder, more effective behavior analysis.
References
Barrett, L. F., Wilson-Mendenhall, C. D., & Barsalou, L. W. (2019). Assessing the impact of trauma on behavior through a neural lens. Trauma, Psychology, and Neuroscience, 15(4), 389–401.
Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). (2022). Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts. Littleton, CO: BACB. Retrieved from https://www.bacb.com
Hanley, G. P., Iwata, B. A., & McCord, B. E. (2003). Functional analysis of problem behavior: A review. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36(2), 147–185. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2003.36-147
Lattal, K. A., Smith, M. M., & Armstrong, K. A. (2020). Extinction bursts: Misconceptions, realities, and how they influence treatment. Journal of Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 113(3), 389–403.
Lebois, L. A. M., Seligowski, A. V., Wolff, J. D., Hill, S. B., & Ressler, K. J. (2019). Augmenting extinction and inhibitory learning in anxiety and trauma-related disorders. Biological Psychiatry, 85(1), 4–12.
Lerman, D. C., & Iwata, B. A. (1996). Developing a technology for the use of operant extinction in clinical settings: An examination of basic and applied research. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29(3), 345–382. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1996.29-345