About this course

Food refusal is more than a label—it is behavior that should be observed, defined, and analyzed within the context in which it occurs. In this episode, we explore what behaviors such as turning away, pushing food away, saying “no,” leaving the table, crying, or escalating during meals may tell us about the feeding experience. Building on the biological and environmental foundations introduced in Episode 1, we examine refusal through a behavior-analytic lens, including response topography, precursor behaviors, reinforcement history, and escape-maintained behavior. We also ask an important question: if the behavior is maintained by escape, what exactly is the learner escaping? Listeners will explore how caregiver responses and feeding contingencies may influence patterns of refusal and escalation, while considering when medical, sensory, oral-motor, or other variables warrant further assessment or interdisciplinary collaboration. The goal is not simply to reduce refusal, but to better understand the variables surrounding it before determining how to respond.