Exclusion time-out room should be devoid of potential reinforcers.

• A. Constantly monitored and supervised.
• B. Devoid of potential reinforcers.
• C. In a separate building.
• D. Allow access to preferred activities after time-out.

Answer: (B)

During exclusion time-out, the goal is to remove the person from the situation where reinforcement is available, so the time-out itself does not become a source of reinforcement. To achieve this, the timeout room should be neutral and free of items or activities that could serve as reinforcers—no toys, no attention from others, no easy access to preferred activities. If reinforcers are present, the person might find the time-out itself reinforcing because it still offers access to something desirable, which undermines the procedure. Safety and supervision are important, and a separate building isn’t required, but the defining feature is keeping the room devoid of potential reinforcers so the timeout effectively reduces the undesired behavior by withholding reinforcement. After the timeout, access to preferred activities can be restored as part of the return-to-baseline process, but the timeout period itself should not include reinforcers.