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Basic and Applied Research on Extinction Bursts

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey · NCT05925101

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 3–17 · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Interventional · Not applicable
Target enrollment
40
US sites recruiting
1
Study start
July 7, 2023
Record last updated
April 29, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

Although highly effective, treatments like FCT include extinction, which can have adverse side effects. The extinction burst, an increase in the frequency or intensity of destructive behavior at the start of treatment, is the most common side effect of extinction, and can increase the risk of harm to the patient and others. The goal of the current study is to evaluate the prevalence of extinction bursts when various parameters of reinforcement (i.e., rate, magnitude, quality) are manipulated.

Being studied: Extinction-only condition; Rate-drop condition; Rate-hold condition; Magnitude-drop condition; Magnitude-hold condition; Quality-drop condition; Quality-hold condition; Rate-drop/quality-increase condition

Conditions: Problem Behavior; Aggression; Self Injury

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • children aged 3 to 17;
  • problem behavior that occurs at least 10 times a day, despite previous treatment;
  • problem behavior maintained by social positive reinforcement;
  • stable protective supports for self-injurious behavior (e.g., helmet) with no anticipated changes during enrollment;
  • on a stable psychoactive drug regimen for at least 10 half-lives per drug or drug free;
  • stable educational plan and placement with no anticipated changes during the child's treatment.

Exclusion Criteria

  • patients currently receiving 15 or more hours per week of treatment for their problem behavior;
  • DSM-5 diagnosis of Rett syndrome or other degenerative conditions (e.g., inborn error of metabolism);
  • a comorbid health condition or major mental disorder that would interfere with study participation;
  • occurrence of self-injury during study assessments that presents a risk of serious or permanent harm (e.g., detached retinas) based on our routine clinical-risk assessment;
  • patients requiring changes to protective supports for self-injury or drug treatment, but we will invite these patients to participate when protective supports and drug regimen are stable.

Recruiting US locations

  • Children's Specialized Hospital-Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services

    Somerset, NJ 08873

    Site contact: Wayne Fisher, PhD · 8488008503 · wayne.fisher@rutgers.edu

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Wayne Fisher, PhD · 8488008503 · wayne.fisher@rutgers.edu
  • Serena Claiborne · 8488008504 · sclaibor@rutgers.edu
All healthy volunteers studies in New Jersey →
Basic and Applied Research on Extinction Bursts (NCT05925101) | Bored Studies