title: Acceptability of behavioral interventions for self-injurious behavior: replication and interinstitutional comparison.
abstract: Using a case description methodology, Tarnowski, Rasnake, Mulick, and Kelly (1989) examined the effects of behavior problem severity and intervention type on staff ratings of six behavioral interventions used to treat self-injurious behavior (SIB). Results indicated that accelerative interventions were judged more acceptable than reductive treatments, and acceptability of treatments varied as a function of SIB severity. We hypothesized that judgments of treatment acceptability might vary as a function of specific institutional characteristics and conducted a replication of the previous study in a setting where the institutional treatment philosophy was explicitly behavioral. Results indicated that (a) accelerative interventions were preferred to reductive treatments, (b) acceptability ratings were not significantly influenced by SIB severity, and (c) interventions were generally found to be more acceptable by staff working in a behavioral treatment milieu.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics Core A-451, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44109.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Tarnowski
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mulick
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Rasnake
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001348:Aversive Therapy / Q000379:methods; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004495:Education of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities / Q000379:methods*; D016352:Group Homes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*