title: Relation between heart rate and problem behaviors.
abstract: A new methodological approach for understanding self-injury, aggression, and property destruction exhibited by individuals with severe developmental disabilities was evaluated in this descriptive study. Measures of heart-rate changes before, during, and after episodes of problem behavior were obtained in real time. Unique patterns of heart rate and problem behavior were documented for each participant. Heart rate, identified as an indicator of negative arousal, was reliably associated with higher scores of perceived distress. These results indicate that further research is needed to examine the link between problem behavior and physiology. The study also suggests that physiological measurement can be included in the functional assessment process to further our understanding of the mechanisms underlying problem behavior.
authors.affiliation: University of Oregon, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Horner
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reichle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors