Decreasing self-injurious behavior(s)
Self-injurious behavior refers to repeated responses made by individuals that are directed toward themselves and result in tissue damage or physical harm. Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is found in some individuals with severe mental retardation, but it is a characteristic most often associated with multiple disabilities. Nevertheless, some children and youths with normal intelligence and language skills indulge in SIB. The intent usually is to injure themselves without killing themselves. Topographies of SIB include, but are not limited to: mouthing, hand biting, head banging, and skin tearing. The resultant injuries vary from mild abrasions to extensive scarring.
Many different approaches to reducing SIB have been tried. No approach has been entirely successful, although some show better results than others. The major contribution to effective interventions for SIB has come from the field of applied behavior analysis. Interventions range from mildly intrusive to more drastic techniques such as electric shock. The focus of this paper will be on effective methods used for reducing self-injurious behavior.
When trying to decrease a behavior such as s
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Each time the subject attempts SIB they are redirected to the performance of the alternative behavior, which is then reinforced. elf-injury, the first question to ask yourself is, "What behavior can I increase?" It is important to find a functional, alternative behavior to reinforce which will stop or weaken the target behavior. This behavior could be reduced by covering the area with heavy petroleum jelly, which eliminates the tactile consequence of the behavior. When an individual is exhibiting a behavior such as head slapping, a DRI could be giving the individual a tennis ball to roll back and forth between his or her hands. The unconditioned stimulus (firm grasp) has been paired with the conditioned stimulus (scolding). Some individuals exhibiting SIB may pick at their skin or bite themselves. Therefore, programming extinction may be required in all necessary environments. There are three categories of restraint: personal restraint, mechanical restraint, and self-restraint. During intervention, frequency was nine the first day and zero for the remaining thirteen days. If the subject normally exhibits hand mouthing 35 times in a 10 minute time frame, set up a reward system for them if they exhibit the behavior 15 times or less within the 10 minutes. This behavior can leave the person with mild abrasions, scabs, or scars on his or her skin. These types of procedures should be used only when safety is jeopardized or in cases of extreme behavior problems.
Approximate Word count =
2751
Approximate Pages =
11 (250 words per page double spaced)
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