Time Outs: Helpful or harmful? Here’s what the research says

Pediatricians and researchers commonly recommend that parents use time outs when kids misbehave.  Time outs are promoted as an effective, evidence-based parenting strategy - although the real reason they’re so highly recommended is that they cause less damage to children than hitting.But if we’re already using respectful/gentle parenting strategies most of the time, could there be any benefit to adding time outs when our children don’t comply with more gentle methods?   This episode delves into the research on:

• Which children and families researchers think time outs are effective for(it’s not the same group of children who are usually study participants!);
• The precise time out script that has been shown to be effective(and why it works);
• Whether time outs harm children or not(this is one of the biggest controversies in the Gentle Parenting world)

  If you’ve heard that time out is an effective strategy to gain children’s cooperation but weren’t sure whether it fits with your Gentle Parenting approach, this episode will help you to decide for yourself whether it’s a good fit for you and your family.   Taming Your Triggers  If you see that your relationship with your child isn’t where you want it to be because you:

• Speak to them in a tone or using words that you would never let other people use with your child…
• Are rougher with their bodies than you know you should be when you feel frustrated…
• Feel guilt and/or shame about how they’re experiencing your words and actions, even though your intentions are never to hurt them…

  …the Taming Your Triggers workshop will help you.   Click the banner to learn more!     Other episodes mentioned:

• Episode 231: How to support baby’s development after a Wonder Week
• Episode 230: Do all babies have Wonder Weeks? Here’s what the research says
• Episode 154: Authoritative is not the best parenting style
• Episode 148: Is spanking a child really so bad?
• Episode 072: Is the 30 Million Word Gap Real: Part II
• Episode 066: Is the 30 Million Word Gap real?

  Jump to highlights: 00:03 Introduction 10:23 Historical context and research on timeouts 17:26 Critical analysis of timeout research 28:36 Effective implementation of timeouts 33:59 Challenges and limitations of timeouts 41:49 Jen's personal experiences and emotional impact 49:29 Alternative perspectives and values 57:39 Conclusion and next steps   References: Allen, K. D., & Warzak, W. J. (2000). The problem of parental nonadherence in clinical behavior analysis: Effective treatment is not enough. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 33(3), 373-391.

---

Bostow, D. E., & Bailey, J. B. (1969). Modification of severe disruptive and aggressive behavior using brief timeout and reinforcement procedures. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2(1), 31-37.

---