The Need to Distinguish between “Lapse” and “Relapse”
Say "lapse" for brief blips and "relapse" for sustained returns to make your data and decisions sharper.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Brown (2025) wrote a think-piece, not an experiment.
He looked at how we sling around the word "relapse" in ABA.
He says we need two words, not one: "lapse" for quick slips and "relapse" for full comebacks.
What they found
The paper finds our talk is fuzzy.
One word covers both a one-time blip and a total crash.
That fuzziness hides patterns and slows down our next move.
How this fits with other research
Leigland (1987) beat the same drum, but for "inhibitory stimulus control." Both papers beg us to pick one clear label and stick with it.
Kleinert et al. (2007) won the battle to swap "mental retardation" for "intellectual disability." Brown wants the same win for lapse/relapse.
Thom et al. (2026) show the field is already ditching "problem behavior" for finer terms. Brown’s split is the next logical step, not a lone voice.
Why it matters
Clear words drive clear data. If you log a brief lapse as a full relapse, your graph lies and your team overreacts. Start writing "lapse" on your data sheet when the behavior shows for one or two points, and save "relapse" for the line that stays high. Your next decision will match what actually happened.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Over the last decade, behavior analysts have become increasingly interested in relapse and have used the term to describe the reemergence of problem behavior following successful reductions achieved during clinical intervention. Nonetheless, some elements of the current terminology may interfere with behavior analysts’ efforts to examine, predict, and mitigate the conditions that lead to the reemergence of severe problem behavior in clinical settings. The current article (1) describes how the term “relapse” has been used in the field of behavior analysis and fails to capture more nuanced effects observed in the reemergence of problem behavior; (2) suggests use of the terms “lapse” and “relapse” to capture these distinct effects; and (3) outlines the positive impact enhanced technological distinction between the concept of “lapse” and “relapse” could have on clinical research and practice.
Perspectives on Behavior Science, 2025 · doi:10.1007/s40614-025-00436-6