Effects of extinction alone and extinction plus functional communication training on covariation of problem behaviors.

The team compared two ways to stop problem behavior. One group got plain extinction. The other group got extinction plus functional communication training.

They watched to see if mild behaviors dropped and if severe behaviors popped up.

Extinction plus FCT stopped every form of problem behavior.

Extinction alone only stopped the mild forms. The tough, dangerous forms actually got worse.

McLaughlin et al. (1972) saw the same warning sign first. When they ignored talking out, kids also played less and disrupted more.

Hatton et al. (1999) counted the risk in 41 cases. Almost half showed bursts or aggression when extinction ran solo.

Migan-Gandonou Horr et al. (2021) flipped the script. They paired extinction with noncontingent reinforcement and got a 98 % drop in perseverative speech for two years.

Cengher et al. (2020) even used the side effect on purpose. Extinction made new response forms pop out, and they shaped those into complex mands.

If you run extinction alone, be ready for bigger, uglier behavior to take its place. Add FCT, NCR, or another reinforcement piece up front. You will protect the client, spare yourself a crisis, and still kill the problem behavior.