Dentist-implemented contingent escape for management of disruptive child behavior.

Four preschool and kindergarten kids who screamed, hit, or tried to leave the dental chair were studied.

The dentist gave a 10-second break from drilling right after the child held still for 30 seconds.

No extra time was added; the break simply replaced part of the normal pause between steps.

Disruptive behavior dropped for every child within the first visit and stayed low.

The dentist finished each procedure in the usual slot; no appointments ran long.

Slocum et al. (2025) later tested three escape-based plans and also saw quick drops, but they added older kids and found that giving stickers or easier tasks worked even faster than escape alone.

Carr et al. (2003) showed you can skip the break entirely: giving a helpful prompt before the hard step cut escape behavior to zero, an antecedent twist that builds on the same escape logic.

Kahng et al. (1999) pitted edible treats against break time; edibles won, proving that positive reinforcement can outmuscle negative reinforcement even when the task stays tough.

If you work in medical or dental clinics, ask the provider to give a brief pause the moment the child cooperates. It costs no extra minutes and quickly calms the room. Pair this with an early prompt or a small edible as shown in later studies and you may cut behavior even faster.