Stop instructive feedback when the person withdraws, distress or safety concerns appear, primary learning weakens, secondary acquisition remains poor, added information creates burden, implementation is unreliable, the goal is complete, or direct teaching fits better. Address immediate safety first. Record the trigger, final target sets, exposures, primary and secondary outcomes, client and family input, access conditions, transition, and any later direct-teaching or follow-up plan.
Know when to stop instructive feedback
Predeclare immediate and review triggers. Immediate triggers can include medical concern, serious distress, loss of communication access, or unsafe delivery. Review triggers can include reduced primary performance, invalid exposures, weak probe results, added time, or implementation errors.
Close the version cleanly
End presentations on a recorded date, preserve the exposure and probe record, explain the change accessibly, and state whether targets retire, move to direct teaching, or remain optional information. Avoid silently converting the same trial.
Use findings in proportion
The review describes potential efficiency gains and important research gaps. The schedule study found schedule-specific differences in two participants. These findings support review, not continued use after poor fit.
Protect client authority and access
The Ethics Code addresses involvement, assent when applicable, risk, evaluation, discontinuation, and transition. ASHA supports continuous AAC access. The BACB outline supplies decision scope.
A practical example
Ava receives 18/24 planned presentations, primary accuracy falls from 17/20 to 12/20, and secondary probes remain 1/6. Ava asks for less talking in three sessions. The stop rule activates, and two priority targets move to shorter direct teaching after review.
Questions families can use
Which trigger occurred? Did the primary lesson change? Was the person heard? Which secondary targets retire or move to teaching? What evidence and access supports carry into the next plan?
Sources
- Behavior Analyst Certification Board, BCBA Test Content Outline, 6th edition
- Nottingham, Vladescu, and Kodak, Incorporating Additional Targets Into Learning Trials for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Nottingham and colleagues, The Influence of Instructive Feedback Presentation Schedule
- Morton and colleagues, Emergent Control for Play Responses Following Instructive Feedback
- Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Finni resources
