ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELF-INJURIOUS BEHAVIOR AND SELF-RESTRAINT

Many individuals who exhibit self‐injurious behavior (SIB) also exhibit self‐restraint. Three hypotheses about the determinants of self‐restraint have been suggested: (a) Self‐restraint is maintained by escape from or avoidance of aversive aspects of SIB, (b) self‐restraint and SIB are members of th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied behavior analysis 1992, Vol.25 (2), p.433-445
Main Authors: Smith, Richard G., Iwata, Brian A., Vollmer, Timothy R., Pace, Gary M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Avoidance Learning
Behavior Disorders
Behavior Modification
Behavior Therapy - methods
Behavioral Science Research
Contingency Management
Education of Intellectually Disabled
functional analysis
Hospitalization
Humans
Male
Play and Playthings
Reinforcement
Reinforcement, Social
Research Methodology
Restraint, Physical - psychology
Self Control
Self Injurious Behavior
Self Mutilation
Self-Injurious Behavior - prevention & control
Self-Injurious Behavior - psychology
self-restraint
Severe Disabilities
Severe Mental Retardation
Social Environment
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Summary:Many individuals who exhibit self‐injurious behavior (SIB) also exhibit self‐restraint. Three hypotheses about the determinants of self‐restraint have been suggested: (a) Self‐restraint is maintained by escape from or avoidance of aversive aspects of SIB, (b) self‐restraint and SIB are members of the same functional class, and (c) self‐restraint and SIB are functionally independent. This study examined a method by which the relationship between self‐restraint and SIB may be investigated using functional analysis. Data were collected on the self‐restraint and SIB exhibited by 5 mentally retarded males, while conditions suspected to maintain SIB were manipulated. Results suggested that self‐restraint, like SIB, may be maintained by idiosyncratic contingencies. Implications of an understanding of self‐restraint for the analysis and treatment of SIB are discussed, as are some general possibilities for future research.
ISSN:0021-8855
1938-3703
DOI:10.1901/jaba.1992.25-433