Treatment Integrity Failures during Timeout from Play

Foreman et al. (2020) watched preschool teachers use timeout from play. They wanted to know if teachers could still cut problem behavior when they skipped steps.

The team used an ABAB reversal design. They first let problem behavior run, then added timeout, then paused it, then brought it back.

Even when teachers used timeout only part of the time, problem behavior still dropped below baseline. Kids did not need perfect adult follow-through to improve.

The result held across reversals, showing the low-dose timeout itself, not luck, drove the change.

Smith et al. (1997) warned that high student disruption can punish teachers and crash fidelity. Foreman’s team shows the flip side: when the plan is simple, partial fidelity still helps.

Alberto et al. (2002) moved timeout to community trips with a ribbon cue and still hit zero problem behavior. Together the studies stretch timeout from play past the classroom walls.

Lloyd et al. (1969) first paired brief timeout with reinforcement. Foreman updates that classic recipe by proving the timeout piece still works even when delivered imperfectly.

You can stop chasing 100% perfect timeout. If the routine is quick and clear, teachers who miss every third step can still give students relief from their own problem behavior. Start with a simple rule—one warning, then two-minute sit-out—and train staff to hit at least half the steps. Track behavior, not adult scorecards; the kid data will tell you if the dose is enough.