Reducing self-injury and corresponding self-restraint through the strategic use of protective clothing.
We examined the use of protective clothing to reduce a retarded male's face-punching and leg-kicking and two corresponding forms of self-restraint--arm and leg self-restraint. The resident was observed each day in three sessions of randomly ordered conditions (one condition per session): without any protective clothing, with a padded helmet, and with a padded helmet and padded slippers. Use of the padded helmet substantially reduced face-punching and arm self-restraint. The addition of padded slippers reduced leg-kicking and leg self-restraint. These results suggest a practical and effective means of controlling self-injury and self-restraint. They are also consistent with the possibility that the resident's arm restraint was maintained in part by escape or avoidance of face-punching and that his leg restraint was maintained in part by escape or avoidance of leg-kicking.
D000293:Adolescent; D006260:Head Protective Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011481:Protective Clothing; D011482:Protective Devices; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology