A review of resurgence literature with human participants.

Abstract

Resurgence is the reemergence of a previously reinforced behavior when an alternative source of reinforcement is discontinued or decreased (Lattal & St. Peter Pipkin, 2009). Lattal and St. Peter Pipkin (2009) published a review in which they discussed the applied relevance of the resurgence literature, which was largely composed of investigations studying nonhuman subjects at the time. There has since been an increase in resurgence research with human participants. The purpose of the current paper is to review published investigations of resurgence with humans since Lattal and St. Peter Pipkin. The current review includes summaries of 5 human operant studies and 8 studies involving clinically relevant responding. A discussion provides implications as they relate to clinical practice and suggestions for future research. Overall, investigations related to resurgence seem to be a fruitful and socially significant focus for behavioral researchers.

Prevalence of resurgence of destructive behavior when thinning reinforcement schedules during functional communication training

“…Resurgence is defined as the reemergence of a previously extinguished response (e.g., destructive behavior) when the alternative response is exposed to extinction or large decreases in the rate of reinforcement (Doughty & Oken, ; Epstein, , ; Lattal et al, ; Lattal & St. Peter Pipkin, ; Leitenberg, Rawson, & Bath, ; Lieving, Hagopian, Long, & O'Connor, ; Lieving & Lattal, ; Podlesnik & DeLeon, ; Pritchard, Hoerger, & Mace, ; Winterbauer & Bouton, ). The study of resurgence represents an important area of investigation in both applied and translational research because it may form the basis of many or most occurrences of treatment relapse in typical environments (Kestner & Peterson, ; Lattal & St. Peter Pipkin, ; St. Peter, 2015). For example, individuals often emit the FCR at high rates or at inopportune times, when it is difficult for caregivers to deliver the requested reinforcer (Fisher et al, ; Hagopian et al, ; Tiger, Hanley, & Heal, ).…”

Resurgence of previously taught academic responses

“…Resurgence occurs with socially significant responses, including aggression (e.g., Pritchard, Hoerger, & Mace, 2014), disruptive behavior (e.g., Marsteller & St. Peter, 2014), self-injurious behavior (e.g., Wacker et al, 2011), property destruction (e.g., Mace et al, 2010;Wacker et al, 2013), and inappropriate vocal behavior (e.g., Marsteller & St. Peter, 2012). However, resurgence may be a desirable phenomenon when it is beneficial for responses to recur (Epstein, 1987;Kestner & Peterson, 2017;Shahan & Chase, 2002), such as appropriate requests (Hoffman & Falcomata, 2014), caregiving responses (Bruzek, Thompson, & Peters, 2009), play sequences (Reed & Clark, 2011), or phonetic responding (Garner, Neef, & Gardner, 2018). However, resurgence may be a desirable phenomenon when it is beneficial for responses to recur (Epstein, 1987;Kestner & Peterson, 2017;Shahan & Chase, 2002), such as appropriate requests (Hoffman & Falcomata, 2014), caregiving responses (Bruzek, Thompson, & Peters, 2009), play sequences (Reed & Clark, 2011), or phonetic responding (Garner, Neef, & Gardner, 2018).…”

“…As this list suggests, applied evaluations of resurgence often assess the resurgence of undesirable, maladaptive behavior (e.g., Wacker et al, 2011). However, resurgence may be a desirable phenomenon when it is beneficial for responses to recur (Epstein, 1987;Kestner & Peterson, 2017;Shahan & Chase, 2002), such as appropriate requests (Hoffman & Falcomata, 2014), caregiving responses (Bruzek, Thompson, & Peters, 2009), play sequences (Reed & Clark, 2011), or phonetic responding (Garner, Neef, & Gardner, 2018).…”

Resurgence of Academic Responses

“…When the second play sequence was no longer reinforced, the children resumed the first play sequence. In the case of this study, resurgence did not delay an undesirable response; rather, resurgence demonstrated that a desirable response in an individual's repertoire persisted when periods of extinction occurred (Kestner & Peterson, 2017). Such longevity may be important for academic responses.…”

“…As this list suggests, resurgence of socially significant behavior is often studied in terms of the undesirable recurrence of maladaptive behavior (e.g., Wacker et al, 2011). However, resurgence may be a desirable phenomenon when it is beneficial for responses to recur (Epstein, 1987;Kestner & Peterson, 2017), such as appropriate requests (Hoffman & Falcomata, 2014), caregiving responses (Bruzek, Thompson, & Peters, 2009), and play sequences (Reed & Clark, 2011).…”