Prevent

Removal of Privileges

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Removal of Privileges, Privilege Withholding, Behavior Extinction, Time Out, Time-Out

  • See Also
  1. Discipline
  2. Verbal Punishment
  3. Positive Parenting Techniques
  • Indication
  1. Time-Out: Discipline for ages 18 months to 6 years
  2. Examples
    1. Temper tantrum
    2. Whining
    3. Yelling
    4. Fighting
  • Background
  1. Time-Out relies on good child-parent relationship
  2. Time-in must be valuable for Time-Out to work
    1. Parent must be attentive when behavior is normal
    2. Child notices when attention is withdrawn
  • Technique
  1. Child instructed to go to pre-assigned Time-Out place
    1. Example: Sit in chair (away from TV, games, toys)
    2. Child must be removed from problem situation
    3. Environment must be boring and safe
  2. Child stays in Time-Out for specified length of time
    1. One minute of Time-Out per year of age
    2. Set a timer for specified length of time
    3. Timer restarted if child leaves prematurely
  3. General pointers
    1. No interaction during Time-Out
    2. Do not respond to bargaining for early Time-Out end
    3. Do not verbally reprimand child during Time-Out
    4. Child should be calm for at least last 15 seconds
  4. Modifications for age
    1. Preschool: Child ignored or attention removed
    2. Older child: Remove privilege for one day (e.g. TV)
  • Complications
  1. Initially child acts out more (e.g. temper tantrum)
    1. Do not reinforce this (do not respond)
    2. Calmly place child back in Time-Out
  2. Time-Out not effective initially (common problem)
    1. Behavior changes may take some time to develop
    2. Time-Out is very effective as a long-term strategy
  • References
  1. Wyckoff (1984) Discipline without Shouting, p. 8
  2. Banks (2002) Am Fam Physician 66(8):1447-52 [PubMed]
  3. Stein (1998) Pediatrics 101(4 Pt 1):723-8 [PubMed]