Resurgence of Severe Challenging Behavior and Schedule Thinning with the Terminal Schedule Probe Method

Abstract

Multiple schedules promote schedule thinning during treatment for challenging behavior. Some strategies for multiple-schedule-thinning progressions include dense-to-lean (DTL; gradually thinning schedules of reinforcement in small steps), fixed lean (FL; abruptly shifting to lean schedules), and terminal probe (TP; probing terminal schedule values to inform subsequent thinning steps) thinning. Recent research indicates that TP thinning offers an empirically derived process for schedule thinning to terminal schedule values. In the current investigation, we replicated, re-analyzed, and extended recent research on the TP-thinning method. The schedule-thinning outcomes were consistent with the initial investigation, indicating that longer periods of reinforcer unavailability were facilitated by TP thinning in comparison with DTL thinning. We also examined resurgence, or the temporary increase in challenging behavior after alternative behavior is placed on extinction, across a wide range of downshifts in reinforcement. When resurgence occurred across ranges of downshifts programmed for both schedule-thinning methods, it occurred more often with DTL thinning. The resurgence analyses did not reveal an exponential increase in challenging behavior as a function of downshifts in reinforcement, which is an interesting departure from recent investigations. Points of discussion include clinical implications and areas for future research on the TP-thinning method.