The effects of response cost in the treatment of aberrant behavior maintained by negative reinforcement.

The team worked with kids who hit, bit, or threw things to get out of hard tasks.

They let the kids keep saying "I need a break" and walk away.

Each time the child acted out, the teacher quietly took away a small toy or sticker.

Problem behavior dropped a large share even though escape was still allowed.

Kids learned that wrecking things cost them, while asking nicely stayed free.

Carr et al. (2003) got the same drop to zero with only friendly prompts and easy tasks. Their way needs no punishment, but it takes tighter lesson planning.

Clarke (1998) wiped out teen tennis tantrums by pairing response cost with habit-reversal cues. Together they reached a large share suppression, showing the penalty can boost other tactics.

Kahng et al. (1999) found edible treats beat break time for escape behavior. That study kept escape open too, proving both reward and penalty can work while the old exit door stays unlocked.

You can keep the break option on the table and still crush dangerous behavior. Start by handing the child a preferred item at the start of work. If problem behavior occurs, calmly remove it and keep the demand light. This gives you a fast tool that respects client assent while protecting therapy flow.