A time-out involves temporarily separating a child from an environment where inappropriate behavior has occurred, and is intended to give an over-excited child time to calm down. It is an educational and parenting technique recommended by some pediatricians and developmental psychologists as an effective form of child discipline. It involves temporarily removing a child from an environment where inappropriate behavior has occurred, thereby discouraging such behavior. Often a corner (hence the common term corner time) or a similar space where the child is to stand or sit during time-outs is designated.
Time-out, painting by Carl Larsson
Contents |
History
The concept of time-out was invented, named, and used by Arthur Staats in his extended work with his daughter (and later son), and was part of a long-term program of behavioral analysis beginning in 1958 that treated various aspects of child development. He introduced various elements that later composed foundations for applied behavior analysis and behavior therapy (the token reward system was another invention). Montrose Wolf, a graduate student assistant of Staats on several studies dealing with reading learning in preschoolers (see, for example, Staats, A.W.; Staats, C.K.; Schultz, R.E.; Wolf, M.M. “The conditioning of textual responses using ‘extrinsic’ reinforcers.”), used that background when he went to the University of Washington where he began his creative program of research. Wolf first used Staats’ time-out procedure in a 1964 published study dealing with the behavioral treatment of a child.[1][2]
Staats used the term in his 1968 book, Learning, Language and Cognition.[3] Staats described the discipline of his 2-year old daughter in 1962: “I would put her in her crib and indicate that she had to stay there until she stopped crying. If we were in a public place [where her behavior was inappropriate], I would pick her up and go outside [until she indicated she would stop the offending behavior].” In brief, he “intended time-out to constitute a very mild punishment, the removal from a more reinforcing situation.” This has the effect of weakening the offending behavior so that it occurs less frequently, quickly disappearing unless the behavior has been well learned.
Application
Time-outs are recommended for toddlers and younger children. The purpose is to isolate or separate the child for a short period of time in order to allow the child to calm down, as well as to discourage inappropriate behavior. The only requirement for release is for the child to be sitting quietly. When the child has calmed down, they may then express their needs in a more polite manner or return to their activity. Time-outs are alternatively used by parents to separate feelings of anger toward the child for their behavior and to develop a plan for discipline.[citation needed]
The method is seen as controversial in some parts of the world, notably Scandinavia.[by whom?][clarification needed] [4][5]
Effectiveness
Children between two and five years old may be frightened by their own lack of control when they throw a tantrum. Allowing the child to regain self-control on his own in a quiet place free of distractions will help them to learn coping skills and internal self-control.[citation needed]
Time-outs were not intended to be used as a punishment and are not very effective when used as a punishment because, by itself, it does not provide the child with an opportunity to learn from their misbehavior.[citation needed] However, many parents use the term time-out to refer to the naughty chair punishment method where a misbehaving child is separated for a specified period of time.
While some proponents of time-outs insist on silence and stillness from the child during the time-out, it is easier to use a “release-contingency,” such that the requirement is only that the child is sitting quietly at the end of the time-out period. Those who use time-out for children to get anger and frustration “out of their system” or for children to think about their behavior, are using time-out in a way that is different than those basing it on operant behavioral principles (that time-out/away from reinforcement may reduce recurrences of the unwanted target behavior).
Parents in favor of spanking have argued that time-out is ineffective. Other parents in favor of spanking have argued that it should be seen as a complement rather than as an alternative to spanking; a spanking may be preceded and/or followed by a time-out ‘to think about what you did’; some individuals order time-out to be spent divested as during spanking, even exposing the reddened bare bottom afterwards, with the hope of making the punishment more humiliating.
Spanking sometimes is used as a penalty if the child refuses to serve the time-out. However, other back-up penalties could be used, such as privilege withdrawal substantial enough to encourage serving time-outs instead.
Obviously, alternatives to both time-out and spanking exist as well, such as ignoring, differentially reinforcing other behaviors, modeling and teaching better behavior, etc.
Time-Out ~ Keep It Simple, Smart-Guy! 