FCT resurgence after schedule change describes the return or increase of a previously reinforced response when reinforcement for a more recent communication response worsens. A longer delay, unclear signal, missed partner response, lower-quality outcome, inaccessible device, or changed setting may be involved. Families can ask for the three-part history, partner fidelity, competing explanations, and a prewritten rollback rule rather than treating any recurrence as inevitable.
Identify FCT resurgence after schedule change
Record the prior target history, successful communication phase, exact schedule change, eligible opportunities, communication, partner response, outcome quality and timing, target recurrence, setting, access failures, client report, and rollback decision. Keep unimplemented schedule trials in the denominator.
Interpret the change cautiously
Resurgence differs from an extinction burst because the person first learned an alternative response that produced reinforcement, then that alternative arrangement worsened. Renewal, spontaneous recovery, pain, new demands, and implementation failure may look similar in uncontrolled care data. State the evidence and uncertainty.
Use current ethics and research sources
The relapse review distinguishes resurgence, renewal, spontaneous recovery, and other histories. The FCT review discusses schedule thinning and relapse risk. The Ethics Code keeps client involvement, risk, assent, and evaluation active during change.
Keep communication and immediate safety available
The ASHA AAC portal supports continuous access to communication tools. Preserve AAC, pain and safety reports, basic needs, emergency help, assent and dissent, and ordinary supports throughout this specific decision. Immediate danger follows the applicable emergency route.
A practical example
Mara's update message works in eight of ten immediate-response opportunities and the prior question occurs once. After a three-minute schedule begins, partners respond on time in three of eight and the prior question occurs four times. The team restores reliable updates and reviews the schedule.
Questions families can use
Was the prior response previously reinforced? Did communication work before the change? What worsened? Were signals and AAC available? Which rule restores the earlier schedule?
Sources
- Council of Autism Service Providers, ABA Practice Guidelines Version 3.0 public summary
- Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts
- Behavior Analyst Certification Board, BCBA Test Content Outline, 6th edition
- Lerman and Iwata, Prevalence of the Extinction Burst and Its Attenuation During Treatment
- Athens and Vollmer, Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior Without Extinction
- Tiger, Hanley, and Bruzek, Functional Communication Training: A Review and Practical Guide
- Kimball and colleagues, Relapse and Its Mitigation: Toward Behavioral Inoculation
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Finni resources
