A time-out procedure is still called time-out when it does not result in a decreased level of problem behavior.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not enough information
• D. It depends

Answer: (B)

Time-out is defined by the contingent withdrawal of access to reinforcement for a specified period, not by whether the behavior actually decreases. The label of the procedure depends on the contingency and the duration, not on the outcome. There are typically two forms: exclusionary time-out, where the person is removed from the setting, and non-exclusionary time-out, where access to reinforcement is blocked while the person remains in place. If time-out is applied and the problem behavior does not diminish, that outcome reflects ineffectiveness of that application, but the procedure remains time-out. So the statement is false.