Updated Recommendations for Reinforcement Schedule Thinning following Functional Communication Training
Post-FCT thinning now means signaled mixed schedules, not slow DRIs—follow the 2024 guide.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Kranak et al. (2024) wrote a narrative review. They looked at 13 years of studies on thinning reinforcement after FCT.
The team turned the pile of single cases into a new set of practice rules. They replaced the 2011 thinning guide with a 2024 update.
What they found
The review says: use mixed schedules, give clear signals, and ask caregivers if the plan feels doable.
These three steps keep problem behavior low while you stretch the time between rewards.
How this fits with other research
Greer et al. (2016) showed 25 FCT cases where clear S-delta cards kept kids safe while thinning. The 2024 guide now makes those cards standard.
Ramirez et al. (2025) tested a fixed-lean 60 s/240 s schedule right after FCT. Two of three children stayed at near-zero problem behavior. This 2025 study is a direct follow-up to the 2024 advice.
Edelstein et al. (2025) used a caregiver-run cumulative schedule and cut problem behavior by 94%. Their result supports the 2024 call for parent-friendly thinning.
Why it matters
You no longer need to fade one second at a time. Start with a signaled mixed schedule that caregivers can run. Check social validity each week. If problem behavior spikes, add more signals or slow the leap, not the whole fade.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Schedule thinning is a necessary treatment procedure following the acquisition of a communication response during functional communication training. In this article, we update and extend the Hagopian et al. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 4, 4–16, (2011) review and recommendations on schedule-thinning procedures following functional communication training. Since their publication, substantial research has been published on the efficacy, efficiency, and social validity of schedule-thinning methods. We provide updated recommendations for schedule thinning based on contemporary literature that has been published since 2011, as well as discuss key areas for future research.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2024 · doi:10.1007/s40617-023-00863-4