This paper responds to a critique (EC 601 489) of a paper on the possible involuntary nature of self-injurious movements in persons with mental retardation, resulting from undiagnosed frontal lobe seizures. The response discusses electroencephalographic techniques, the importance of observable ictal phenomena, the need for other corroborating…

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…

Reviewed are methods of treating self injurious behavior in mentally retarded persons with emphasis on the ethical considerations and the justification for aversive therapy. (DB)

Positive interference, therapeutic interuption of a high-rate self-abusive or self-stimulatory behavior with a reinforceable desired behavior, was implemented on a self-abusive autistic nine-year-old. Findings demonstrated that a child can learn desired behaviors without completely suppressing undesirable behaviors. (SW)

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)

This guide to preventing self-injurious behavior, in question-and-answer format, is intended for parents, teachers, and other caregivers of people with disabilities. It describes the more common types of self-injurious behavior, discusses methods for identifying causes of self injury, and outlines interventions. Specifically, the guide covers: (1)…

It is argued that self-injury should be conceptualized within accepted diagnostic schemes prevalent in the United States and abroad. This approach would more clearly emphasize to practitioners the nature of the problem and would legitimize it for reimbursement by third party payers. (Author/CL)

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)

Thirteen parents of autistic children, 33 parents of other disabled children, and 73 parents of nondisabled children consistently rated differential reinforcement, time-out, and overcorrection as acceptable and shock as unacceptable, but the groups differed in ratings of acceptability of other treatments. (Author/CL)

The paper evaluates clinical and experimental literature on effects of pharmacotherapy for self-injury. Few general conclusions are drawn mainly due to the small number of studies and general lack of methodological rigor of these studies. However, there was some indication that antipsychotics and antimanics may prove useful in treating self-injury…

Three studies investigated environmental correlates of self-injurious behavior in seven developmentally disabled children and adolescents which were then later used for treatment. Correlates investigated included positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, automatic reinforcement, and control. "Escape extinction" was successfully…

Two case studies are presented demonstrating treatment of aggression and self-injury in community-integrated work, school, and home settings. Nonaversive treatment strategies were implemented by trained paraprofessionals based on information obtained from functional analyses of the aggressive and self-injurious behaviors of two adults with autism.…

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)

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)

Self-injurious behavior is a serious concern for individuals who must provide educational services to developmentally disabled children. This article discusses research related to the motivation of self-injury; provides guidelines for designing treatment programs for self-injurious behavior; and introduces a new nonaversive treatment, differential…