ABA Exam CoachLessons · G. Behavior-Change Procedures
G.18 · Side effects of behavior-change procedures
Your graph shows the problem behavior dropping fast. So why is your learner crying, hitting, or refusing to walk into the room? Let's talk about the side effects your target data can't show you.
Key takeaway
Punishment and extinction carry the most risk of side effects, such as elicited aggression, emotional responding, and escape or avoidance. People, places, and materials can also become conditioned aversive stimuli. Predict these effects, measure collateral behavior along with the target, and change or stop the procedure when the harm outweighs the benefit. Pairing extinction with reinforcement for an alternative behavior usually reduces these effects.
Punishment and extinction carry the most risk of side effects, such as elicited aggression, emotional responding, and escape or avoidance. People, places, and materials can also become conditioned aversive stimuli. Predict these effects, measure collateral behavior along with the target, and change or stop the procedure when the harm outweighs the benefit. Pairing extinction with reinforcement for an alternative behavior usually reduces these effects.
Members get the full lesson video, notes and a 5-question test
The video walks through the idea, worked examples, the trap people fall into and an exam-style question. The notes and the checkpoint come with it, and your results feed your Where to focus plan.