Extinction in ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) refers to a procedure used to reduce or eliminate undesirable behaviors. It involves withholding reinforcement when the behavior occurs, so by definition, it is necessary to know what the reinforcement is. Extinction is not achieved through the typical discipline system, where the client displays an inappropriate or undesirable behavior, and the teacher reacts to that behavior in an attempt to stop it. Instead, only those behaviors that are deemed positive are reinforced, with all negative behaviors simply ignored.
Extinction can be used for a variety of behaviors, including sleeping/eating problems, dangerous/aggressive behaviors, functional communication, and inappropriate social behaviors. It is a formal term that means ABA therapists want to get to the bottom of the function or cause of a certain behavior and then terminate access to that function to extinguish the behavior.
When starting an extinction program, ABA practitioners must identify the interfering behavior, collect baseline data, and develop extinction procedure strategies. It takes patience and consistency to apply extinction because it is common for the undesirable behavior to increase initially before it decreases. This is known as an "extinction burst" and can be defined as a temporary increase in the frequency, duration, or magnitude of the target response.
In summary, extinction in ABA is a procedure used to reduce or eliminate undesirable behaviors by withholding reinforcement when the behavior occurs. It is a formal term that means ABA therapists want to get to the bottom of the function or cause of a certain behavior and then terminate access to that function to extinguish the behavior. Extinction can be used for a variety of behaviors, and it takes patience and consistency to apply it.
