How to use time-out effectively
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Summary
- Before implementing any time-outs, clearly explain the process to children and establish a designated quiet space that's free from distractions and stimulating activities.
- Always provide one clear verbal warning before initiating a time-out, using specific language to identify the problematic behavior and potential consequences.
- Calculate the appropriate time-out duration using the "one minute per year of age" rule, with a typical range of 3-7 minutes for most children.
- Maintain consistency by immediately following through with the time-out when warranted, while ensuring the intervention remains part of a broader positive reinforcement strategy.
- After each time-out, calmly discuss the behavior with the child, reinforce boundaries, and encourage appropriate behavioral alternatives while maintaining a supportive, nurturing approach.
This guide gives mental health therapists a brief overview of the time-out technique in psychology, describes how to implement the intervention, and explains its effectiveness along with some critiques.
You can also download a free handout on how to use time-out effectively to save to your electronic health record (EHR) and share with clients.
What is the time-out technique in psychology?
The time-out technique in psychology was created by psychologist Arthur Staats in the 1950s in part as an alternative to corporal punishment. Parents and educators use time-outs as a behavioral intervention to remedy a child’s behavior and reduce unwanted behavior.
Time-outs may be exclusionary (being removed from the situation and environment) or non-exclusionary (remaining in the room without stimulus in a designated space).
A critical step in how to use time-out effectively is to be consistent and balance the approach with positive reinforcements.
Do time-outs work?
Research indicates that time-outs are an efficient way to provide space for a child to reflect on their behavior without causing harm.
Critics, however, argue that even when implemented by supportive parents, time-outs are not effective, stating that they are an aversive technique that leaves children to cope with difficult emotions alone, leading to feelings of abandonment and poor emotional regulation.
Some researchers also argue that time-outs can make children rebel further and may leave them feeling more angry than before the time-out intervention.
However, David Anderson, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, says that the approaches need not be at odds. “We want to give parents a toolbox that allows them to be both structured and nurturing,” he says.
Other psychologists echo Anderson’s perspective. Brett Enneking, PsyD, and Assistant Professor of Child Pediatrics at Indiana University, states that “when implemented appropriately, the common criticisms of time-out become less valid” and that timed distance allows children and parents to regain composure.
How to use time-out effectively
Behaviorists recommend taking the following steps for how to use timeout effectively:
Ensure your child understands time-out
Before using time-out, it’s important to explain it, why it is being used, preferred behaviors, and what to expect from the intervention.
Use time-outs as part of a balanced approach
Time-outs should be used in a supportive parenting relationship that includes positive reinforcement.
Follow best practices
The structured steps of a time-out include:
- Before time-out: Give an initial verbal warning before a time-out. If the child doesn’t positively respond, immediately proceed with the time-out while explaining the reason for the intervention.
- During time-out: Place the child in a designated time-out location that is free from distraction for a short period, such as a specific chair, corner of a room, or bedroom.
- Time-out duration: Depending on age, the child remains in the time-out for about three to seven minutes.
- Prompt return: When the time-out alarm signals time is up, return calmly to the child, discuss their behavior, and reinforce boundaries or rules.
Use in the home or the classroom
The above steps can be used at home by parents or caregivers who want to try the time-out technique in psychology as part of their behavior management strategies.
Educators can also use time-out effectively in the classroom. The only differences with a classroom time-out would be finding an appropriate designated space away from other children and distinct behavioral expectations, such as sitting quietly and listening to the teacher.
How long should a time-out be?
Time-outs are typically only a couple of minutes, and some experts recommend three minutes at the most.
Another approach is for the time-out to be one minute per year of the child’s age. So, children ages three to seven may have a time-out lasting three to seven minutes.
Time-out technique examples
Here are some time-out technique examples of potential scenarios:
Parenting time-out example
- Situation: A child pushes their brother.
- Before time-out: The parent calmly says, "Pushing your brother is not OK. If you do it again, I’ll put you in a time-out." The child is placed in a time-out if they don’t stop pushing their brother.
- During time-out: The child is escorted to their designated time-out spot (e.g., a chair in a quiet corner or their bedroom).
- Time-out duration: The four-year-old child sits for four minutes (one minute per year of age).
- After the time-out: The parent briefly explains the behavior that led to the time-out (e.g., "We don’t push other people because it can hurt people and it's scary") and encourages the child to apologize to their brother.
Classroom time-out example
- Situation: A student disrupts the class by yelling loudly.
- Before time-out: The teacher warns, "Yelling during lessons is not allowed. If you do it again, you’ll take a time-out."
- During time-out: The student yells again, and the teacher directs them to a quiet area (e.g., a "cool-down spot" or designated desk) for three to five minutes.
- Time-out duration: The student remains there for one minute per year of age.
- After time-out: The teacher discusses the behavior briefly and reinforces classroom rules to not yell.
Sources
- Enneking, B. (2020). Child development–The time-out controversy: Effective or harmful?
- Martinelli, K. (2023). Are time-outs harmful to children? Child Mind Institute.
- Quetsch, L, Wallace, N, Herschell, A. (2015). Weighing in on the time-out controversy: An empirical perspective. The Clinical Psychologist.
- Schmitt, B. (2021). Time-out technique. Greenwood Pediatrics.
- Wolf, T, L., & Williams, R, L. (2006). Time-out interventions and strategies: A brief review and recommendations. International Journal of Special Education.
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