Background: There is much interest in the use and prevention of unnecessary restrictive behavioural procedures; however, accurate estimates of their use are lacking. The Healthcare Commission and Commission for Social Care Inspection (2007) recently reported such data from a large sample of units administered by the National Health Service (NHS).…

Background: Self-restraint is a pervasive phenomenon among individuals who engage in self-injurious behaviour (SIB). Materials and Methods: The present study examined the use of clothing as a socially acceptable alternative to self-restraint to reduce SIB and other topographies of self-restraint in an adolescent diagnosed with autism. Two separate…

Background: Community service providers strive to reduce the use of restrictive behavioural procedures, but little is known about their use in community services. Therefore, this study analysed the distribution among service users and antecedents to the use of restrictive procedures. Materials: The authors analysed records of the use of…

Background: Pica is a very dangerous form of self-injurious behaviour because one occurrence can be lethal. Dealing successfully with dangerous pica in a large institution requires a high level of administrative support. It cannot be relegated to each psychologist to write a programme. A written behaviour programme is only one component of…

Background: A combination of an attachment-based therapy and behaviour modification was investigated for children with persistent challenging behaviour. Method: Six clients with visual and severe intellectual disabilities, severe challenging behaviour and with a background of pathogenic care were treated. Challenging behaviour was recorded…

Background: When phenylketonuria (PKU) is not diagnosed and long-term treatment commenced within the first few weeks of life, permanent brain damage will occur. There is some evidence to show that late diagnosed or untreated people with PKU who have severe challenging behaviours may benefit from a low phenylalanine diet [Harper & Reid (1987)…

Background: This report describes a cognitive behavioural group intervention for women with mild and borderline intellectual disabilities detained in a secure hospital setting because of their fire-setting behaviour. The study aimed to examine participants' motivations for setting fires, their responses to an intervention designed specifically for…