Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, Vol 24(3), Aug 2024, 163-173; doi:10.1037/bar0000290
Automatically maintained self-injurious behavior (SIB) is one of the most challenging maladaptive behaviors to treat and often requires intensive behavioral treatments. Response blocking has been used as a treatment for SIB but is difficult to implement for long periods. In the current study, we demonstrated the utility of stimulus-control procedures to augment an intensive response blocking intervention for automatically maintained SIB in an adolescent male with multiple disabilities. Using a multiple schedule, we alternated between treatment paired with an arbitrary stimulus (the “consequence” component) and a “no-consequence” component, resulting in substantial reductions in SIB only in the consequence component. Measurement of the response latency from presentation of the stimulus to the first attempt or instance of SIB demonstrated stimulus control. This study adds to a small number of studies demonstrating inhibitory stimulus control over undesired behaviors and is the first known application to SIB. Implications for practice and future research are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)