Extinction is a powerful, and sometimes misunderstood, tool in Applied Behavior Analysis. While it can be effective in reducing challenging behaviors, it’s also frequently misunderstood or misapplied. This post dives into what extinction is, common examples, its flaws, and how to use it more appropriately, all while keeping trauma-informed care in mind.
What Is Extinction?
In ABA, extinction is the process of reducing a behavior by no longer reinforcing it. When a behavior that previously received reinforcement stops getting that reinforcement, it may decrease over time. However, this often leads to an “extinction burst” – a temporary increase in the behavior before it begins to decline.
For instance, a child who cries for candy in the store may cry louder or longer when they first realize the behavior no longer results in candy. If the extinction process is consistent, the crying should eventually stop.
Examples of Extinction
Extinction strategies vary depending on the function of the behavior. Here are some common examples:
- Attention-Seeking Behavior: Ignoring a child’s whining for attention.
- Escape-Motivated Behavior: Preventing a child from avoiding a task by not allowing escape as a consequence.
- Tangible-Driven Behavior: Not giving a toy when a child tantrums to gain access to it.
While these examples might seem straightforward, real-life scenarios are often more complex. This complexity is where the flaws of extinction as a standalone strategy become apparent.
The Issue with Extinction in ABA
Extinction is often overused or applied without fully understanding the behavior’s underlying function. The assumption that the function of a behavior is clear-cut can lead to ineffective interventions.
For example, when a child exhibits attention-seeking behavior, the default response might be to ignore the behavior entirely. However, this approach doesn’t account for complex functions – where the behavior may serve multiple purposes, such as gaining attention while also escaping an undesirable situation. Ignoring the behavior without addressing these complex functions may escalate the problem.
The focus should shift away from simply decreasing challenging behaviors and toward increasing replacement skills. By identifying what the child truly wants or needs, ABA practitioners can teach them more appropriate ways to access those needs.
Sometimes, it is even okay to reinforce an undesirable behavior in the short term until there is a more proactive plan in place or a replacement skill is taught.
How to Use Extinction Appropriately
When implementing extinction, it’s critical to approach it thoughtfully. Here are some best practices:
1. Understand the Function
Start by analyzing the function of the behavior. While the goal of extinction may seem like doing the opposite of the function, the reality is rarely that simple. Functions can be complex, so be prepared to dig deeper.
2. Focus on Replacement Skills
Instead of merely trying to stop a behavior, teach the child an alternative, appropriate way to achieve the same result. For instance, if a child yells to get attention, teach them to ask for attention or engage in positive social behavior.
3. Be Consistent
Inconsistent application of extinction can reinforce the challenging behavior, making it even harder to address. Ensure that everyone involved in the intervention follows the plan consistently.
4. Monitor Emotional Responses
Be mindful of how the process affects the individual. If the strategy causes distress, it’s essential to reassess its use.
Trauma-Informed Care in ABA
Extinction strategies must align with trauma-informed care principles to avoid causing unnecessary stress or harm. A trauma-informed approach prioritizes the individual’s emotional well-being and ensures that interventions are compassionate and respectful. This means that our emphasis in behavior change is on increasing a desirable or replacement behavior and less on behavior reduction as our only goal.
Teaching vs. Shaming
One of the most critical distinctions in ABA is between teaching and shaming. Extinction, when misapplied, can sometimes feel punitive to the learner. This is especially true if the individual doesn’t understand why their behavior is no longer being reinforced.
Teaching focuses on building skills and empowering the individual, while shaming emphasizes punishment and control. For example, rather than ignoring a child’s repeated requests for help (which might look like attention-seeking), use the opportunity to teach them how to request help appropriately.
Reframe the Behavior in ABA
Challenging behaviors often reflect unmet needs or skill deficits. Instead of framing these behaviors as “bad” or something to be extinguished, view them as opportunities to teach and grow. When a child struggles, it’s an invitation to understand their world better and guide them toward success.
Hold Boundaries With Kindness
Boundaries are essential in both ABA and life, but they must be implemented with empathy. Kindness and firmness are not mutually exclusive. We would continue to hold a boundary when the skill is within the child’s repertoire and we know that they CAN do something (with a little encouragement), but not in situations when the skill is beyond the child’s ability.
For instance, if a child tantrums for a toy, you can hold the boundary of “no” while offering comfort and redirecting their attention to an alternative activity.
Reflect on Why Negative Behavior Occurs
Before implementing extinction, take time to reflect on why the behavior is happening in the first place. What need is the child trying to meet? How can you help them meet it more appropriately?
By shifting the focus from stopping challenging behavior to teaching positive behavior, we create a more supportive and effective learning environment.
Extinction is a valuable tool in ABA but must be used thoughtfully and ethically. By focusing on understanding behavior, teaching replacement skills, and maintaining compassion, practitioners can create meaningful and lasting change. Always remember: the goal isn’t just to extinguish a behavior – it’s to build a foundation for success.
This is great! thank you so much for being my mentors!
Thank you Shayna and Shira
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Extinction is not planned ignoring alone. As per behaviorism Extinction is a phenomenon of unpairing conditioned stimulus and conditioned stimulus to stop reinforcement ( giving attention to inappropriate behavior or not allowing to escape called as escape extinction ) the key is whether a reinforcement is continued to provide for the stimulus like tantrum. Use of extinction alone is never suggested, combining it with positive approaches are mandatory. And if the child has self injurious behaviors and aggressive behaviors extinction is less likely to be suggested.