As a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), one of your responsibilities is to help reduce unwanted behaviors by implementing behavior intervention strategies. One common strategy used in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is extinction, where reinforcement for a particular behavior is removed to decrease its occurrence. However, before the behavior decreases, it may temporarily intensify—this phenomenon is known as an extinction burst.
Definition of Extinction Burst
An extinction burst occurs when a previously reinforced behavior temporarily increases in frequency, intensity, or duration before it decreases once reinforcement is removed. This increase can include more exaggerated or persistent attempts to obtain the previously reinforced outcome. Understanding extinction bursts is crucial for RBTs to ensure they remain consistent in intervention strategies and do not unintentionally reinforce problematic behaviors.
Examples of Extinction Burst
Example 1: A Child Crying for Candy
Imagine a child who has learned that crying at the grocery store results in receiving candy. The parent, realizing this, decides to stop giving candy in response to crying (extinction). Initially, the child’s behavior intensifies—they cry louder, scream, or even throw a tantrum. This escalation is the extinction burst. If the parent remains consistent and does not give in, the behavior will eventually decrease as the child learns that crying no longer results in candy. However, if the parent gives in during the extinction, the child learns that escalating the behavior gets results, making the behavior even harder to extinguish in the future.
Example 2: Hand-Flapping for Attention
A child with autism engages in hand-flapping, which previously resulted in attention from caregivers. To reduce this behavior, caregivers and the RBT decide to stop reacting to the hand-flapping (extinction). Initially, the child may flap their hands even more intensely, wave them closer to people’s faces, or make loud vocalizations while doing so. This escalation is the extinction burst. If caregivers consistently withhold attention for hand-flapping and instead reinforce appropriate communication methods (e.g., using words or gestures to request attention), the hand-flapping behavior will eventually decrease.
Why Do Extinction Bursts Happen?
Extinction bursts occur because individuals naturally persist in behaviors that have worked for them in the past. When reinforcement is suddenly removed, the person might try harder before giving up. This is similar to how someone repeatedly presses a button on a vending machine if it doesn’t dispense a snack before eventually walking away.
How Can RBTs Manage Extinction Bursts?
- Stay Consistent – If reinforcement is removed, do not give in during the extinction burst. Otherwise, the behavior may become even stronger due to intermittent reinforcement.
- Teach Alternative Behaviors – Instead of merely ignoring problematic behaviors, teach and reinforce more appropriate ways to communicate needs. For example, if a child screams for attention, encourage and reward them for saying, “Excuse me” or using a communication device.
- Use Differential Reinforcement – Implement Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behaviors (DRA) by reinforcing desirable behaviors while ignoring the undesired ones. For instance, if a child engages in tantrums to escape tasks, reinforce task completion or asking for a break appropriately instead.
- Prepare Caregivers and Teachers – Explain extinction bursts to parents and educators so they do not unintentionally reinforce the behavior during escalation. Consistency across all environments is key to long-term behavior change.
- Ensure Safety – Some behaviors may become dangerous during an extinction burst, such as aggression or self-injury. If a behavior becomes unsafe, consult a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) to adjust the intervention plan.
Conclusion
Extinction bursts are a temporary and natural response when reinforcement is removed. As an RBT, recognizing and managing extinction bursts effectively is essential for successful behavior reduction. By staying consistent, reinforcing appropriate behaviors, and preparing caregivers, you can help ensure that extinction procedures are implemented safely and effectively. Ultimately, this process supports long-term positive behavior change and skill development for clients.