Definition
Maintenance is the continued occurrence of a learned behavior after the instructional procedures and interventions responsible for the behavior have been removed. This concept highlights the ability of the behavior to persist over time without ongoing reinforcement or prompting, demonstrating that the learner has fully acquired the skill and can generalize it to new contexts and environments. In behavior analysis, maintenance is a critical goal, as it ensures that behaviors remain functional and useful in the individual’s everyday life long after formal teaching or support is no longer present.
Example
For instance, a child is taught to independently brush their teeth using a visual schedule and reinforcement. After several months of daily practice and reinforcement, the visual prompts and rewards are gradually faded. Despite the removal of these supports, the child continues to brush their teeth consistently every night, demonstrating that the skill has been maintained even without external assistance.