Which term best describes interrupting a stereotypic problem behavior and guiding the person to engage in a more appropriate, high-probability behavior?

• A. Time-out
• B. Response interruption and redirection
• C. Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior
• D. Negative reinforcement

Answer: (B)

Response interruption and redirection is a procedure that stops the stereotype in the moment and immediately guides the person to a more appropriate, high‑probability behavior. The idea is to briefly interrupt the automatic pattern and prompt or support a different behavior that’s easier to perform and likely to occur in the situation, so reinforcement can then be given for the alternative. Over time, this reduces time spent on the stereotypic behavior and increases access to reinforcement for the appropriate response.

For example, if someone repetitively taps fingers, the approach would be to momentarily interrupt the tapping and redirect to a preferred, functionally appropriate activity (like squeezing a stress ball or engaging in a nearby task), with reinforcement provided for the alternative when it occurs. This differs from time-out, which mainly removes access to reinforcement for a period, not the immediate redirection to an alternative. It’s also distinct from differential reinforcement of alternative behavior, which emphasizes reinforcing the alternative but doesn’t inherently involve the interruption of the stereotypic behavior itself. And negative reinforcement involves removing an aversive stimulus to increase a behavior, which isn’t the mechanism here.