An Empirical Investigation of Time-Out With and Without Escape Extinction to Treat Escape-Maintained Noncompliance

Authors

Gregory E. Everett, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
D. Joe Olmi, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Ron P. Edwards, University of Southern Mississippi
Daniel H. Tingstrom, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Heather E. Sterling-Turner, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Theodore J. Christ, University of Minnesota

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-1-2007

Department

Psychology

Abstract

The present study evaluates the effectiveness of two time-out (TO) procedures in reducing escape-maintained noncompliance of 4 children. Noncompliant behavioral function was established via a functional assessment (FA), including indirect and direct descriptive procedures and brief confirmatory experimental analyses. Following FA, parents were taught to consequate noncompliance with two different TO procedures, one without and one with escape extinction following TO release. Although results indicate TO without escape extinction is effective in increasing compliance above baseline levels, more optimal levels of compliance were obtained for all 4 children when escape extinction was added to the TO procedures already in place. Results indicate efficacy of TO with escape extinction when applied to escape-maintained noncompliance and are discussed as an initial example of the successful application of TO to behaviors maintained by negative reinforcement.

Publication Title

Behavior Modification

Volume

31

Issue

4

First Page

412

Last Page

434

Recommended Citation

Everett, G. E., 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.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/1966