🛑 Attention Extinction

🔍 What It Is

Attention extinction is a behavioral intervention where a person’s attempts to get attention are ignored entirely, even if they cry, scream, laugh, gesture, speak, or show distress. The idea is to reduce “attention-maintained behaviors” by making sure the behavior no longer results in attention.

It’s often used to stop behaviors like calling out, interrupting, or emotional outbursts.

📹 Video explainer: “Extinction Hurts – What Ignoring Really Feels Like”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klJd_gblTAs

🎯 Intended Use

Used for:

  • Interrupting, screaming, or calling out

  • Repetitive questions

  • Tantrums or meltdowns in public

  • Attention-seeking behaviors in school or therapy

📄 ASAN – “Real Support vs. Forced Compliance”
https://autisticadvocacy.org/2021/09/real-support/

📄 Neurodivergent Rebel – “Why Ignoring is NOT a Strategy”
https://neurodivergentrebel.com/2021/05/06/why-ignoring-is-not-a-strategy/

⚙️ How It’s Implemented

  • No eye contact, no talking, no reacting to the behavior

  • Staff or caregivers may walk away or look away entirely

  • Any behavior labeled “attention-seeking” is treated as invisible

  • Positive behavior may be reinforced later (“planned ignoring” model)

📄 “Extinction Procedures in ABA” – Behavior Analyst Resource
https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisedu.org/extinction/
📄 Lived experience: “When They Ignored Me – A Former ABA Kid Speaks”
https://neuroclastic.com/they-ignored-me/

🧪 Evidence Base

  • Pros: May reduce frequency of attention-seeking behaviors

  • Cons: Often paired with escalation, trauma responses, and confusion

  • Studies rarely include self-report data or measure emotional harm

📄 Gresham et al., 2001 – Effectiveness of Attention Extinction
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ635918
📄 Lerman et al., 1999 – Side Effects of Extinction in ABA
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10201180/

✅ Reported Benefits

  • Reduces unwanted attention-seeking behavior short-term

  • May increase response to replacement behavior when paired with FCT

BUT:

📹 “Don’t Ignore Me!” – Autistic adults on being invalidated
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOrsNnXQU0E
📄 Neurodivergent K – “Ignoring Hurts”
https://neurodivergentk.com/2021/09/15/ignoring-hurts/

⚠️ Potential Side Effects / Harms

  • Emotional escalation (screaming, sobbing, self-injury)

  • Feelings of abandonment or invalidation

  • Shutdown or internalized masking

  • Increased distrust of caregivers or professionals

  • Trauma responses to being ignored during distress

📄 Kupferstein (2018): ABA & PTSD
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-018-3521-2
📄 Ditch The ABA – Lived Experience Collection
https://www.ditchtheaba.com/lived-experience

🧠 Ethical Considerations

  • Teaches people their needs won’t be acknowledged

  • Overlooks legitimate attempts to connect or express

  • Can reinforce trauma or masking

  • Often used without clear consent or understanding

📄 “The Cost of Ignoring Behavior” – Therapist Reacts
https://psychcentral.com/lib/why-ignoring-bad-behavior-doesnt-work
📄 Devon Price – “The Emotional Labor of Being Ignored”
https://devonprice.medium.com/the-emotional-labor-of-being-ignored-d8d18ce675f0

🤝 Informed Consent Questions to Ask

  • Has the person’s communication been fully assessed first?

  • Are replacement skills being taught and honored?

  • What’s the emotional cost of withholding attention?

  • How will trust and connection be preserved?

  • Can attention be given before the behavior escalates?

📄 Assent-Based Intervention Planning PDF
https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2020_RethinkABA.pdf

🔄 Alternatives to Attention Extinction

  • Functional Communication Training (FCT)

  • Giving proactive attention before escalation

  • Setting up a visual or gestural “attention request”

  • Increasing co-regulation and connection

  • Respecting neurodivergent communication styles

📄 Practical Functional Assessment site
https://practicalfunctionalassessment.com/
📄 Ross Greene – Collaborative & Proactive Solutions
https://www.livesinthebalance.org/
📄 PDA Society – Respecting Needs Before Crisis
https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/what-is-pda/strategies/

📚 Resource List