Quantifying increases in problem behavior following downshifts in reinforcement: A retrospective analysis and replication
Resurgence grows exponentially with the size of the reinforcement cut—so thin FCT schedules in small steps.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Falligant et al. (2022) looked back at FCT cases where staff thinned the reinforcement schedule. They asked: how much does problem behavior jump when the amount of reinforcement is suddenly cut?
The team measured the size of each downshift and the size of the behavior spike that followed.
What they found
Big cuts in reinforcement made problem behavior roar back fast—and the jump was exponential. Small cuts produced small jumps; large cuts produced much larger jumps.
How this fits with other research
Laureano et al. (2024) checked 46 inpatient FCT cases and found the same rule: only the size of the downshift predicted resurgence. Their larger sample strengthens the 2022 finding and now sets the clinical standard.
Greer et al. (2024) ran the test forward, not backward. They also saw the biggest resurgence when the first thinning steps were large, confirming the rule in a prospective design.
Ritchey et al. (2023) widened the lens. They cut reinforcer size instead of rate and still saw more resurgence with bigger cuts. The downshift rule now covers both rate and magnitude.
Why it matters
When you thin reinforcement after FCT, shave the schedule in small, steady steps. Expect a brief spike each time, but keep the cuts tiny and the relapse stays manageable. If you must move faster, preload extra extinction bursts and brief functional assessments.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The recurrence of a previously eliminated or reduced behavior following a downshift in alternative reinforcement is referred to as resurgence. Resurgence as Choice (RaC) is a quantitative model of behavioral persistence that posits that resurgence is governed by the same behavioral principles that underlie choice behavior. Consistent with the predictions of RaC, extant basic research with animals indicates that resurgence increases as an exponential function of the size of the downshift in alternative reinforcement. Recently, Shahan and Greer (2021) extended this finding to resurgence of problem behavior during schedule thinning following functional communication training (FCT). They found that when resurgence occurred, it increased exponentially as a function of relative decrements in reinforcer availability during schedule thinning with compound schedules of reinforcement. The purpose of the current study was to directly replicate the analytic procedures described in Shahan and Greer to examine resurgence of problem behavior during schedule thinning following FCT using two novel clinical datasets. Our results closely replicate the findings from Shahan and Greer, providing additional support for the generality of resurgence during downshifts in alternative reinforcement in clinical contexts. These results also highlight the potential applicability of RaC for modeling resurgence of problem behavior during FCT schedule thinning.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 2022 · doi:10.1002/jeab.769