A study of an adolescent with severe mental retardation, who demonstrated self-injurious behavior (SIB) when given attention, evaluated the extent to which providing attention only to appropriate communication would reduce SIB. The client's SIB was reduced significantly only when the therapist left the room when he engaged in SIB. (CR)

A study evaluated the effectiveness of functional communication training (FCT) in reducing problem behavior of 5 individuals with severe mental retardation and in strengthening alternative behavior. Four participants shifted response allocation from problem to alternative behavior as the schedule of reinforcement of problem behavior became more…

The effects of wrist weights on the self-injurious and adaptive behaviors of a six-year-old boy with profound mental retardation were evaluated. Application of wrist weights reduced self-injurious behavior by 92 percent and was associated with higher increases or stable levels of multiple novel and preexisting adaptive behaviors. (Author/CR)