The immediate and long-term effectiveness of overcorrection in treating self-injurious behavior in a mentally retarded adult.
A brief positive practice overcorrection procedure was used as a method of eliminating head-banging in a profoundly mentally retarded adult. Treatment produced an immediate reduction in head-banging episodes, with near zero occurrence of behavior during the third phase of treatment. One year later data collection was resumed on the subject for an 11-week period. Data from the long-term follow-up revealed that head-banging continued to occur, but mean weekly levels of episodes (M = 5.8) were still well below those recorded during the baseline period (M = 18.8). The overcorrection procedure produced immediate short-term effects and, in this case, was also effective in the long-term. Variables related to the maintenance of response suppression are discussed with respect to this intervention's success.
D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D010056:Overlearning; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000628:therapy*