Search

Two responses are presented to a paper on treatment of self-injurious behavior by J. Mulick and J. Kedesdy. The responses discuss whether conflicts exist between normalizing care practices and behavior analytic methods, and describe social role valorization as a theoretical system with extensive empirical support, grounded in social and behavioral science. (JDD)

A water mist was employed as a punisher to reduce head hitting in a 10-year-old multiply handicapped, visually impaired child. Results indicated that water mist alone was effective in reducing the frequency of head hits during meals, but other situations required the addition of primary reinforcers, stimulus control, or both. (Author/JDD)

Double blind study compared effects of two drug treatments, naloxone hydrochloride and naltrexone hydrochloride, on self-injurious behavior of a 12-year-old mentally retarded and autistic girl. Self-injury increased with naloxone treatment but decreased to near zero with naltrexone, a change which persisted at follow-up 22 months after treatment. (Author/DB)

Two experiments combined the assessment of reinforcer preferences and the functional analysis of behavior to prescribe treatment of self-injurious behavior in two severely handicapped children, aged four and eight. The treatments reduced self-injurious behavior when the child was alone as well as during instructional training activities. (JDD)

The study of staff acceptability of behavioral interventions for self injurious behavior (SIB) in persons with severe/profound mental retardation indicated that: accelerative interventions were more acceptable than reductive treatments; acceptability of treatments varied as a function of SIB severity; and client status and type of work setting did not influence acceptability. (Author/DB)

In this case study, a six-year-old, multihandicapped child was treated for self-injurious arm-biting using two response contingent deceleration procedures and two forms of sensory extinction. Only the sensory extinction procedure with protective cuffs reduced arm-biting to manageable levels. (Author/DB)

The review and synthesis of the literature on self-injurious behavior examines characteristics, causes, and both psychological and behavioral management strategies. Six suggestions for educators are offered. (DB)

Presents evidence from literature review, patient interviews, responses to Self-Harm Behavior Survey, and case reports that patients with eating disorders are at high risk for self-mutilation. In lieu of dual diagnosis, postulates that combination of self-mutilation, anorexia, bulimia, and other symptoms may be manifestations of impulse control disorder, "deliberate self-harm syndrome." (Author/NB)

The authors review and discuss the applied behavior analysis procedures that have been found to be effective in controlling severe forms of maladaptive behavior and outline several considerations that may influence the success with which severe forms of maladaptive behavior are controlled in a classroom setting. (SBH)

Manual hand and arm guidance as a form of overcorrection was used in a punishment paradigm to suppress the frequency of serious self-injurious behavior in two profoundly retarded young adults with long histories of such behavior. (SBH)

Among the findings were that the treatment procedure produced immediate and substantial suppression effects on the self-injurious behavior, which generalized to the nontraining environment and endured over an eight-month interval. (Author/DLS)

The treatment appeared to be functionally related to significant reduction in the self-stimulatory behavior in the treatment setting. In addition, a functional relationship was indicated between treatment conditions in one setting and changes in behavior rates in two other nontreatment settings. (Author/DLS)

The findings of this study of an institutionalized schizophrenic girl indicated a functional relationship between the treatment procedure and a decrease in the rate of self-injurious behavior, although the self-injurious behavior was not entirely eliminated by the treatment procedure. (Author/DLS)

Presents and evaluates a comprehensive client management system for suicide and crisis intervention services, consisting of five service designations: self-injury, crisis, active support, general support, and single contact. Self-injury clients received more contacts and more time in direct service. (Author)

Treatment with baclofen, a gamma-aminobutyric acid analogue that crosses the blood-brain barrier, was investigated for its effect on the self-injurious behavior of 22 severely retarded persons. (CL)

The treatment combined extinction of the injurious behavior and reinforcement of alternative behavior and was successful in the controlled hospital environment. However, an attempt to teach the parents to continue the treatment at home failed. Journal Availability: J. B. Lippincott Co., East Washington Square, Philadelphia, PA 19105 (Author/DLS)

Psychological treatment techniques for the control of self-injury in a 13-year-old male with de Lange syndrome (a rare disorder characterized by retarded mental and physical development) are presented. Techniques, which included mild punishment, time out, and differential reinforcement, produced a clinically significant control of self-injurious behavior. (PHR)

Two experiments investigated the effects of a behavioral intervention on the self-injurious behaviors of two profoundly retarded and/or multiply handicapped girls (ages 15 and 16). Treatments resulted in near zero levels of self-injury in both cases. (Author/PHR)

The characteristics of a group of 17 mentally retarded institutionalized individuals (ages 6 to 51) with self-injurious behavior (SIB) were compared with those of 14 patients without SIB. Among findings were that 65 percent of the SIB group were females, that the SIB group had an elevated pulse rate, and that they slept less. (PHR)

The self-injurious behavior of a 37-month-old, developmentally disabled, severely handicapped child was reduced with an overcorrection procedure, though no transfer of training to the home setting took place. (Author/DLS)

Two procedures were used to compare the effects of differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) and differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior (DRI) on self-injurious behavior (SIB) of three profoundly retarded head bangers (ages 8 and 24 years) in a multiple schedule within-subjects design. (Author/PHR)

In England and Wales, females are more prone to commit suicide than homicide. Homicidal offenders are more likely to victimize members of their own families and decidedly more prone to kill themselves. These tendencies are tentatively related to the possible development of a subculture of self-directed violence. (Author)

The self-injurious avoidance responses of a 22-year-old severely mentally retarded male were eliminated through a forced running consequence. Side effects, such as reduced noise, increase in smiling, and faster progress toward instructional objectives, were also noted. The results were maintained over a period of two years. (Author/PHR)

Findings showed an interaction between mands (instructional directions) and response type. Only when a mand was given during performance of the sorting task did the frequency of SIB increase. The contingent application of verbal praise had a minor, though systematic, effect in reducing the frequency of SIB. (PHR)

A procedure involving the intermittent presentation of timeout, restraint, and blindfolding produced complete suppression of self-slapping in a profoundly retarded adolescent. A variable ratio two schedule of time-out and physical restraint contingencies was effective in reducing and maintaining a low level of self-abusive behavior. (Author)

The study evaluated the effects of a fine mist of water applied to the face contingent upon self-injurious behavior (SIB) exhibited by profoundly retarded persons. Results indicated that the water mist procedure may be an effective alternative to traditional punishment techniques. (Author)

Brief (one minute) response contingent physical restraint was shown in two experiments with a 16-year-old profoundly retarded institutionalized girl to be more effective in controlling self-injurious behavior (SIB) than three minute physical restraint, which in the first study produced an increase in SIB. (CL)

Two articles address the ethical issues of withholding treatment in a study of self injurious behavior reported in a mentally retarded person. M. Noonan and W. Bickel suggest alternative research designs, and P. Borreson defends the methodology he used in the 1980 study. (CL)

The effects of haloperidol and a mild punishment on the severe self-injurious behavior and several collateral behaviors of a 17-year-old profoundly retarded male were assessed. (Author)

Two studies evaluated the use of protective equipment in treating self injurious behavior (SIB) exhibited by three retarded adolescents. Results suggested that contingent protective equipment and differential reinforcement may be effective in reducing chronic self injury. (Author)

The study presented data covering the application of a response cost contingency to the self-injurious and aggressive/destructive behaviors of an autistic adolescent boy. The S's target response rate was reduced from a daily mean of 29 during baseline to a 0.3 during the final phase of the treatment condition. (Author)

Self-injurious behaviors of two nonambulatory profoundly retarded young adults were monitored. Despite considerable variability within conditions, mere provision of attached toys resulted in decreased biting and face slapping. (Author)

Evaluated was the effectiveness of four treatment procedures in reducing self-injurious behaviors (handbiting and headstriking) of 22 nonverbal severely mentally retarded children, approximately 10 years old. Among results were that contingent restraint was more effective in reducing behavior below baseline levels than positive reinforcement, reinforcement withdrawal, or omission training. (Author/MC)

The article reviews the use and limitations of medical and behavioral approaches (restraints, shock, drugs, punishment and aversive stimulation, reinforcement of incompatible behaviors, and overcorrection) to reduce self injury in visually impaired, mentally retarded persons. Legal and ethical considerations are pointed out. (Author/CL)

Multitreatment and multiple baseline designs were used to determine the relative influences of task demands, vibration, and a brief overcorrection procedure on two topographies of self-injurious behavior in one 16-year-old severely retarded male. (Author/SEW)

A functional questionnaire on self-injurious behavior of mentally retarded children was examined for social validation by principals of special schools for the retarded. Results were considered promising for developing the questionnaire in the form chosen. (CL)