Stimulus fading and transfer in the treatment of self-restraint and self-injurious behavior.
We conducted several manipulations of mechanical restraint properties during the course of treatment for two profoundly retarded adolescents who exhibited both self-restraint and self-injurious behavior. In study 1, a combination of prompting, differential reinforcement, and stimulus fading reduced one subject's self-restraint, which consisted of holding rigid tubes on his arms. Subsequently, stimulus control of both self-restraint and self-injurious behavior was transferred to tennis wrist bands. In study 2, a second subject's self-restraint--placing his hands in his pants--was immediately eliminated by the use of air splints. Additionally, differential reinforcement and air-pressure fading resulted in the complete mobility of his arms and a substantial increase in appropriate behaviors. Results of this investigation suggest that stimulus fading and transfer may be valuable components in the elimination of self-restraint.
D000293:Adolescent; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003463:Cues; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000628:therapy*; D014163:Transfer, Psychology