Analysis of the reinforcement and extinction components of differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) of three women with developmental disabilities and self-injurious behavior (SIB) found that DRO was only effective in combination with the relevant extinction component (withholding of attention for SIB). (Author/DB)

Tangible preference assessments were compared with verbal preference assessments for six individuals (ages 15-20) with mental retardation, behavior disorders, or both. The two assessments yielded similar high-preference items for 4 of the 6 participants. The verbal assessment was typically completed in less time than the tangible assessment.…

Three experiments involving three adults with profound mental retardation whose self-injurious behavior (SIB) was maintained by automatic reinforcement, examined interactions between stereotypic SIB and the manipulation of objects that appeared to provide substitutable sources of reinforcement. Attempts to reduce SIB using the preferred objects as…

A study of three individuals with self-injurious behavior (SIB) evaluated a device designed for restraint fading with individuals who display hand-to-head SIB. Results demonstrated that stimulus control of SIB occurred in all individuals subsequent to restraint fading. The study also examined the effects of the rigid arm sleeves and restraint…

Independent descriptive (correlational) and functional (experimental) analyses, conducted with six subjects with profound mental retardation exhibiting self-injurious behavior (SIB), found that the descriptive analysis was useful in identifying the extent to which SIB was related to social versus nonsocial contingencies but was limited in its…

This study illustrates a model for progressing from brief behavior assessments to more extended functional analyses. Data are presented for 20 individuals (ages 3-21 years) referred for severe behavior problems including self-injury, aggression, stereotypy, and tantrums. Results showed that clear and replicable response patterns emerged for 85% of…

A treatment was developed that analyzed response allocation across two break options for two females (ages 12 and 30) with behavior problems: break alone and break with access to preferred social activities. The break with preferred activities decreased aberrant behavior and increased appropriate behavior. (Contains two references.) (Author/CR)

This paper summarizes brief functional assessments of 79 cases of people with developmental disabilities and self-injurious, aggressive, stereotypic, or other aberrant behavior. Outcomes were evaluated across three variables: (1) referring topography, (2) control over behavior, and (3) the identified maintaining conditions for aberrant behavior.…