Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026

Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report
Published on: May 30, 2025
The maintenance of behavioral change: the case for long-term follow-ups
1Penn State Harrisburg.
Abstract:
This article discusses response maintenance, the durability of behavior change after therapy, treatment, or training ends. Response maintenance is one of the three forms of generalized behavior change, with the others being setting/situation generalization and response generalization. Long-term maintenance of treatment effects is an important issue after behavior change has taken place and is the goal of most programs. Areas discussed include factors affecting the study of maintenance, techniques for programming it, and analyzing and evaluating strategies for promoting it. This article presents a number of long-term follow-ups of programs designed to treat the addictive behaviors of typical adults (Foxx, 1982; Foxx, Brown, & Katz, 1981) and to teach social skills (Foxx & Faw, 1992) and language (Foxx & Faw, 1990) to individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism as well as to decrease their severe maladaptive behaviors (Foxx, 1990; Foxx & Livesay, 1984). In the process, various factors that appeared to contribute to long-term maintenance are identified. The article concludes with some recommendations regarding the study of maintenance.
Related Concept Videos
Longitudinal Research
Longitudinal Studies
Regression Toward the Mean
Behavior Modification
A real-world application of operant conditioning principles is applied...
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI
Motivation and Self-Determination
Motivation, the driving force behind behavior, plays a pivotal role at every stage of the change process. The research...
