Using Descriptive and Experimental Analyses in the Treatment of Self-Injurious Behavior

Abstract

The function of self-injurious behavior (SIB) was analyzed by incorporating descriptive analysis and experimental analysis methodologies. Observations during the descriptive analysis showed SIB occurred most often in the presence of task-related activities. Two, more controlled, experimental analyses were designed to test more precisely the possible environmental determinant of SIB. Initially, the results of the Activity assessment showed SIB occurred most often when the participant was presented with novel, rather than old, activities. Second, to refine the novel activity condition, the results of a Preference assessment showed SIB occurred most often when the participant was presented with nonpreferred novel, rather than preferred novel, activities. Intervention was designed to meet the communicative function of preference as supported by the results of the two experimental analyses: (a) to teach a negation (“no”) to terminate the nonpreferred, novel activity, and (b) to redirect adaptive responding to a more preferred activity. Results showed a reduction of SIB during training and generalized community settings. Results also showed an increase in prompted “no” production during training and unprompted “no” production during generalization sessions. Similar effects continued to be observed at the 2-month maintenance check.