This cluster shows how fast problem behavior stops when you no longer give a reward. It tells you if the reward came every time or only sometimes, how hard the behavior is to stop. You will learn tricks like thinning the reward first or giving free rewards later so the bad behavior does not come back. A BCBA can use these tips to make extinction easier and safer for kids and families.
Extinction — stopping reinforcement for a problem behavior — is a core ABA procedure, but it rarely goes smoothly on its own. Research shows that how behavior was reinforced before extinction began shapes how quickly and dramatically it fades. Dense reinforcement histories lead to bigger, more intense extinction bursts. Knowing this before you start helps you prepare clients, families, and staff for what is coming.
An extinction burst happens in roughly one out of four extinction cases. It does not get milder just because you have used extinction before with the same client. The burst is brief, but intensity can stay the same or increase on later treatment restarts. Research suggests you can reduce or eliminate the burst by offering a larger alternative reinforcer when you start extinction. This is a practical lever that does not require changing the extinction procedure itself.
Renewal — the return of problem behavior when the context changes — is the other major threat to extinction outcomes. Studies consistently show that even lean DRA schedules do not prevent renewal when the client moves from the therapy setting to a new environment. To cut renewal, you need to gradually fade the therapy context back in during treatment and train the replacement behavior in multiple settings, not just one.
Some newer procedural variations offer promising results. Kind extinction — adding genuine positive regard when problem behavior occurs, while still withholding the functional reinforcer — produces large, fast reductions. Gradually shifting reinforcer types during extinction rather than switching abruptly can also cut renewal in half. Using discriminative stimuli during extinction helps reduce the extra relapse that happens when you remove both alternative reinforcement and context at the same time.
Common questions from BCBAs and RBTs
An extinction burst is a temporary increase in the frequency or intensity of a behavior right after reinforcement is removed. It happens in about one out of four extinction cases.
Research shows that offering a larger alternative reinforcer when you start extinction can shrink or eliminate the burst. Plan what you will offer before you begin, not after the burst starts.
This is called renewal or resurgence. Renewal typically happens when the setting changes. Resurgence happens when reinforcement conditions worsen. Both are normal and expected — the key is having a plan to address them quickly.
No. Research shows that extending treatment duration does not reliably prevent resurgence. Build relapse response plans into your treatment from the start rather than counting on time to prevent it.
Kind extinction adds genuine positive regard — warmth, calm attention — when problem behavior occurs, while still withholding the functional reinforcer. Studies show it produces large and fast behavior reductions, and may be more acceptable to families than standard extinction.