Time Out: What Is This Behavioral Modification Technique?
At some point in our childhood we have probably seen a type of punishment that consists of staring at the wall or being expelled from class. It is about a very common form of punishment in schools and even institutes as well as in some homes in the form of “the thinking corner or chair.”
These types of actions are part of a strategy with which the subject, normally a minor, is intended to reflect and modify behavior. In fact, it is actually a behavior modification technique that can be applied even at a clinical level, which is called time out
Time-out is a behavior modification technique through which it is intended decrease in frequency or eliminate the performance of one or more behaviors
This technique It is part of the repertoire of behaviorism, originating from operant conditioning. Specifically, it is based on negative punishment, in which, when the behavior to be modified is emitted, a positive stimulus or stimulus considered palatable to the person who performs it is withdrawn.
The operation of time out or time out it’s simple: it involves extracting the subject who performs the behavior from the situation in which he can obtain reinforcers, so that he modifies or eliminates the behavior that leads him to said situation in order not to be removed again. For example, the student is sent out of class or to a corner where he cannot participate in what happens in class.
This technique is usually used with the premise that the time that the subject is expelled is approximately one minute per year of age of the individual
It is generally applied in cases where it is necessary to eliminate a problem behavior of a subject, usually a boy or girl although it can be applied at any age, whether in clinical practice or in the educational field.
Time out is a technique that can be applied in various ways. Specifically we can find the following variants or types of time out
1. Non-exclusion time out
In this time-out modality, the subject is not expelled from the place where the reinforcers are located, but simply it is prevented from accessing it However, you can observe your peers doing it. In this way, the changes are minimal, but in many cases sufficient to reduce the possibilities of a behavior appearing.
2. Exclusion
The individual remains in the situation where the reinforcers are located, but cannot access them or observe others doing so. A typical example is the be punished facing the wall
3. Insulation
The individual who commits the action that is intended to be eliminated is expelled from the stimulating location It is the type of time out that is applied when a student is expelled from class or sent to a separate room.
4. Self-imposed
The individual whose behavior you want to reduce proceeds to remove himself from the situation in order to avoid conflicts. It is used in couples therapy.
How to use
For this technique to be effective It is advisable to use a series of steps that allow the person whose behavior you want to modify to understand how the technique works, why it is applied to them and what it means for them.
1. Knowledge of the technique
First of all it is necessary that the subject knows what time out entails, something for which it is necessary to explain how the technique works. Likewise, it is necessary to be clear about what behavior you want to eliminate and reduce, as well as make the subject in question see that this behavior is not adaptive and why. Once you know all this, it is possible to start applying it.
2. Warning
At the moment in which the person begins to carry out the unwanted behavior, he will be provided with a warning in which he will be told what behavior is unwanted, why he is being warned and the possible consequences of his act (being sent to serve time out). ). Several warnings can be made but it is recommended that there not be many so that the subject learns and associates the consequence with the act and the situation does not prolong.
This element is important for several reasons. Firstly, with very little effort it allows us to evoke the idea of the undesired consequence of misbehaving, which is already something unpleasant in itself, so it can be an aversive factor that can appear in those “hints” of bad behavior.
Secondly, in the event that expulsion occurs, it allows for a faster understanding of what is understood, which is why This type of punishment will hardly be decontextualized
3. Expulsion or cessation of reinforcement
If the behavior persists or is repeated, the individual is temporarily expelled or reinforcement is stopped. It must be avoided as much as possible that the moment in which the technique is applied is reinforcing (that is, that the person does not feel more cared for by being punished, which can cause the target behavior to increase). The reason for the punishment is explained to him and he is told how long he must remain outside.
Once the time-out period has elapsed, the ask the subject if he understands why he has been expelled and the child is told that he can return to the stimulating situation. Alternative strategies can be offered in the event that the unwanted behavior had some type of motivation behind it.
It is possible to implement differential reinforcement of behaviors, congratulating and praising behaviors that are incompatible with the one you want to eliminate. It is important to be coherent and consistent in your application, otherwise the time out can cause confusion
Risks and disadvantages of time out
Time-out is a technique that can sometimes be useful to modify behaviors, but its application has both advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, it is a behavior modification technique that allows you to inhibit unwanted behavior in situations in which the subject can be reinforced by a large number of possible elements, such as his peers in the class. However, the application of this type of techniques is controversial and not recommended, since in certain situations it can cause different harm to the person to whom it is applied.
Firstly, it is a technique that works only at a behavioral level, meaning cognitive aspects may not be addressed that are behind the emission of the behavior. A modification of behavior occurs, but not of values, and it is difficult for internalized learning to occur. The response is learned as avoidance of punishment, but internally it can be considered positive.
Another of the great disadvantages of this technique is that the subject is conditioned through fear, fear may appear to the subject who applies the punishment. Furthermore, the subject may perceive that he is not appreciated when the situation occurs, so he will tend not to share the factors that motivated the unwanted behavior.
Likewise, suffering is generated due to the withdrawal of attention and this can lead to a loss of self-esteem as well as trust in the environment. It also damages the relationship with the person who applies the punishment, as it can provoke resentment. However, it can be argued that the suffering caused by this far outweighs the suffering that would occur if he did not stop behaving in a certain way.
For all these reasons, it is recommended that, if this technique is used, combine with others that allow the individual to understand and be educated in the why of things, how the behavior to be eliminated is harmful, different ways of acting are modeled and positive behaviors are reinforced.
