Aggression and Crying as Side Effects of Time-Out

Time-out is a commonly used negative punishment procedure to reduce challenging behavior. Although many studies have examined the utility of time-out, the data analysis typically involves the exclusion of the time-out time. The current project examined 2 commonly reported side effects of punishment, aggression and crying, during time-in and time-out for 11 participants who engaged in potentially dangerous behavior on the playground, property destruction in the classroom or home, aggression, or some combination. Results indicate idiosyncratic levels of aggression and crying. In light of these findings, interventionists may consider the likelihood and severity of these side effects when selecting time-out as an intervention to reduce target behavior.