Restricted or repetitive behavior (RRB) is common for individuals with visual impairment (VI), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and intellectual disability. Previous reviews have suggested that VI may moderate the effectiveness of behavioral interventions to decrease RRB. A search of the single case literature resulted in 30 studies and 40…

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at higher risk for developing self-injurious behaviors (SIB) and other challenging behaviors than typically developing individuals. SIBs often occur owing to deficits in communicative ability and can have undesirable consequences in an individual's environment. This study demonstrated the use of…

Background: Behavioural interventions conceptualise self-injurious behaviour (SIB) as developing from early repetitive behaviours through acquisition of homeostatic functions in regulating stimulation and subsequent shaping into SIB through socially mediated or automatic operant reinforcement. Despite high success rates, such interventions rarely…

Skin-picking is a type of self-injurious behavior involving the pulling, scratching, lancing, digging, or gouging of one's own body. It is associated with social impairment, and increased medical and mental health concerns. While there are several reports showing that skin-picking is common in individuals with developmental disabilities, knowledge…

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) that occurs at high rates across all conditions of a functional analysis can suggest automatic or multiple functions. In the current study, we conducted a functional analysis for 1 individual with SIB. Results indicated that SIB was, at least in part, maintained by automatic reinforcement. Further analyses using…

The current exploratory study examined the ability of three stimulus preference assessments to identify effective reinforcers for general education students. Four students from Grades K through 5 and their teachers participated. A student nomination, teacher nomination, and ongoing (daily) stimulus preference assessment were evaluated. The results…

Students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have difficulties with verbal language. Many interventions to remediate such deficits require numerous materials and significant teacher time. This study sought to determine if a simple multi-component intervention that incorporated noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) and verbal modeling would result in…

This document provides policy recommendations of the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders regarding the use of seclusion procedures in schools. It includes (a) an introduction, (b) a declaration of principles, and (c) recommendations regarding the use of seclusion in school settings. Explanation or elaboration of policy recommendations…

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are considered to be among the most serious of the mental health conditions. Concomitant with many cases of ASD is intellectual disability. Further compounding the disability is the fact that both conditions are known risk factors for self-injurious behavior (SIB). To date, the most effective intervention methods,…

We examined the use of noncontingent reinforcement to decrease self-injury and increase bite acceptance in a child who exhibited food refusal. First, a brief functional analysis suggested that self-injury was maintained by escape from food presentation. Next, we evaluated an intervention that involved noncontingent access to a video during feeding…

A variety of variables have been found to augment perceived social validity of behavioral interventions. In the present study, potential effects of behavioral function were evaluated. Sixty students inexperienced in work with people with mental retardation, and 60 experienced staff watched one of two carefully matched acted videos depicting…

Problem behavior can interfere with learning, the development of appropriate skills, and socialization in persons with developmental disabilities. In severe cases, problem behavior could result in life-threatening injury. For one 21-month-old participant diagnosed with autism engaging in severe problem behavior for whom reinforcement-based…