Extinction cues and extinction in multiple contexts reduce the renewal of instrumental behavior in primary school children

The reemergence of previously extinguished behaviors poses a critical challenge to the long-term effectiveness of behavioral interventions, including those implemented in school settings. Thisstudy examined, using a video game task and a sample of children aged 6 to 11 years, the efficacy of two strategies previously supported in research with adult humans and other animals: the use of extinction cues and extinction across multiple contexts. In Experiment 1, the introduction during the test phase of a cue previously associated with the extinction phase significantly reduced AAB renewal. In Experiment 2, conducting extinction in three different contexts decreased the magnitude of the ABA renewal effect. These findings may hold promise for the development of behavioral interventions that are more resistant to relapse, thereby contributing to the design of more effective behavioral interventions in childhood.