Can you use punishment in ABA?

Punishment can be used in ABA, but the field’s ethics code treats it as a last resort. Positive reinforcement is supposed to come first.

In behavior analysis, punishment means anything that makes a behavior less likely. That ranges from losing a privilege for a few minutes to far more restrictive procedures. The Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s ethics code says behavior analysts put reinforcement first. Punishment-based procedures come only after less intrusive ones haven’t worked, or when the risk of harm from the behavior is greater. They have to be reviewed and documented.

You should know what’s in your child’s plan. Ask any provider how it handles challenging behavior, whether it ever uses restrictive procedures and how it would tell you before trying one.