A Comparison of Exclusion Time-Out and Contingent Observation for Reducing Severe Disruptive Behavior in a 7-Year-Old Boy

Abstract

This study compared the effectiveness of exclusion time-out and contingent observation for reducing the severe disruptive behavior of a child with developmental disabilities. Interventions were employed in a classroom by a special education teacher and a teacher's aide. Procedural and functional integrity measures for the two interventions indicated that the treatments were implemented in an optimal manner. The results showed that both time-out procedures reduced disruption to very low levels and were not found to be differentially effective. The theoretical and practical significance of this finding are discussed.