Should Punishment Be Used?

The right-to-effective treatment position is that the client’s right to effective

treatment might in some cases dictate the use of quicker-acting punishment
procedures rather than slower-acting procedures involving reinforcement of
alternative behavior.
The freedom-from-harm position is that non-aversive methods for eliminating
unacceptable behavior are always at least as effective as punishment and that
using pain-including punishment is never justified.

• Children were taught a simple communicative

Functional response ( e.g., ringing a bell )
Communication • Children with developmental disabilities to use a
Training (FCT) vocal communication response(e.g., “Excuse me”)

1
 • Emphasized non-aversive approaches for treating
individuals who exhibit challenging behavior
Positive Behavior Support • A set of research-based strategies used to increase
(PBS) quality of life and decrease problem behavior by
teaching new skills and making changes in a person’s
environment

2
 Punishment can have a number of potentially harmful side effects, we
recommend that behavior modifiers consider designing punishment programs only
when:
The behavior is very maladaptive, and it is in the client’s best interest to bring
about rapid behavior change.
Clear steps are taken to maximize the conditions for a desirable alternative
response and to minimize the causes of the response to be punished before
resorting to punishment.
The client or the client’s parent or guardian provides informed consent.
The intervention meets ethical standards.
Punishment is applied according to clear guidelines.

3
 Pitfalls of Punishment

Unaware-Misapplication Pitfall
 Criticizing and ridiculing a person for inadequate behavior are punishing
and will likely suppress future instances of that behavior.
 Suppressing could destroy the individual’s opportunity to obtain the more
desired behavior through the use of shaping.

4
Partial-knowledge-Misapplication Pitfall
 Sometimes an individual will think that she/he is applying a punisher but in
fact is applying a reinforce.
 Several studies indicate that reprimands can function as positive reinforcers
 Reprimands are frequently backed up by another punisher, the causes of the
undesirable behavior have been minimized, and the conditions for a desirable
alternative behavior have been maximized.

5
Guidelines for the Effective Application of Punishment
1. Select a response. Punishment is most effective with a specific behavior.
2. Maximize the conditions for a desirable (non-punished) alternative response:
a. Select a desirable alternative behavior
b. Provide strong prompts to increase the likelihood that the desired
alternative behavior will occur.
c. Reinforce the desirable behavior with a powerful reinforcer on an
appropriate schedule.
3. Minimize the causes of the response to be punished:
a. Try to identify and eliminate as many as possible of the SDs for the
undesirable behavior will occur.
b. Try to eliminate any possible reinforcement for undersirable behavior

6
4. Select an effective punisher
a. Choose an effective punisher that can be presented immediately following every
instance of the undesirable behavior.
b. The punisher should be one that will not be paired with positive reinforcement.
5. Present clear SDps
a. Tell the learner about the plan before starting.
b. Give a clear “warning” or “reminder”.
6. Deliver the punisher
a. Present the punisher immediately following every instance of the response to be
decreased.
b. Take care not to pair punishment of the undesirable behavior with reinforcement for
the behavior.
c. Administer the punisher in a calm and matter-of-fact manner.
7. Take data. In all programs involving punishment, careful data should be taken on the effect
of the program.
7