User:Spantalian76/Extinction (psychology)

Successful Extinction Procedures
It (extinction) is the result of challenging behavior(s) no longer occurring without the need for reinforcement. If there is a relapse and reinforcements are given, the problem behavior will return. Extinction can be a long process; therefore, it requires that the facilitator of the procedure be completely invested from beginning to end in order for the outcome to be successful. The fewer challenging behaviors observed after extinction will most likely produce a less significant spontaneous recovery. While working towards extinction there are different distributions or schedules of when to administer reinforcements. Some people may use an intermittent reinforcement schedule that include: fixed ratio, variable ratio, fixed interval and variable interval. Another option is to use a continuous reinforcement. Schedules can be both fixed and variable and also the number of reinforcements given during each interval can vary.

Autism
Children with ASD are known to have restricted or repetitive behaviors that can cause problems when trying to function in day-to-day activities. Extinction is used as an intervention to help with problem behaviors. Some problem behaviors may include but are not limited to, self-injurious behaviors, aggression, tantrums, problems with sleep, and making choices. Ignoring certain self-injurious behaviors can lead to the extinction of said behaviors in children with ASD. Escape Extinction (EE) is commonly used in instances when having to make choices causes problem behavior. An example could be having to choose between mint or strawberry flavored toothpaste when brushing your teeth. When implementing EE, the interventionist will use physical and verbal prompting to help the subject make a choice.

Extinction in the Classroom
A positive classroom environment wields better results in learning growth. Therefore, in order for children to be successful in the classroom, their environment should be free of problem behaviors that can cause distractions. The classroom should be a place that offers consistency, structure, and stability, where the student feels empowered, supported and safe. When problem behaviors occur, learning opportunities decrease. Problem behaviors in the classroom that would benefit from extinction may include off-task behaviors, blurting, yelling, interrupting and use of inappropriate language. The use of extinction has been used primarily when the problem behaviors interfered with successful classroom outcomes. While other methods have been used in conjunction with extinction, positive outcomes are not likely when extinction is not used in behavior interventions.