Response Cost: Consequences For Children

Response Cost. Mather and Goldstein (2012) said that response cost happen when the teacher gets a certain possession earned by the child. . Earned consequences are considered reinforcers. When they are lost, this is response cost. The child places in jeopardy what he or she has earned as the result of inappropriate behavior. In many situations, response cost in the form of a penalty or fine is combined with positive reinforcement. To be effective, more reinforcers must be earned than lost. It is often used to reduce off-task behavior and improve compliance with directions Mather and Goldstein (2012) also added that response cost may be the most powerful means of managing consequences for children with ADHD or other disruptive behavior problems.