Traditional Escape Extinction: Ethical Considerations and a Review of Alternatives

Behavior analytic intervention programs frequently include the use of forced prompting to earn compliance with demands and reduce escape maintained challenging behavior. This approach is effective but can result in an increase in challenging behavior if the challenging behavior is also maintained by attention or can be difficult to implement with clients who are larger in size. Additionally, caregivers and staff may not accept the use of forced prompting and may not implement the procedure during the naturally occurring routine, which also reduces the effectiveness of the procedure. The purpose of this webinar is to explore ethical considerations regarding the use of forced prompting by drawing from the BACB Ethical and Professional Compliance Code and Van Houten et al. (1988). Additionally, the presentation will explore how the 7 Steps to Earning Instructional Control addresses these ethical considerations and whether research in the basic or applied areas supports alternatives to forced prompting such as the 7 Steps as viable options for reducing escape maintained challenging behavior.

Participants will be able to:

1. Explain at least four issues that arise when using traditional escape extinction procedures
2. Explain how traditional escape extinction procedures hamper the public’s image of behavior analysis
3. Explain how the BACB PECC applies to the four issues with traditional escape extinction
4. Describe the 7 steps of instructional control
5. Provide at least 3 descriptions from basic and applied research that supports the use of alternatives to traditional escape extinction
6. Describe future research that needs to be conducted relating to traditional escape extinction