Applied Behavior Analysis Research: Self-Injurious Behavior

Capella University

Self-Injurious Behavior

For this final assignment a research of self-injurious behavior has been conducted. Self-injurious behavior, also known as SIB, is described an instance of behavior that results in physical injury to a person’s own body. SIB includes head banging, using objects to cut or puncture self, pinching self, consuming inedible substances, vomiting, pulling own hair, sucking, biting, scratching body parts and use of drugs, among others (Yang, 2003). SIB, is usually displayed by individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities. SIB can result in serious injuries and in severe cases even death. According to Yang (2003), the treatment of SIB has become one of the most serious issues for clinicians and other professionals due to the injury, risk, prevalence, and cost involved.

Article 1

Overview

The first article discussed is "Combination of extinction and protective measures in the treatment of severely self-injurious behavior" by Lizen Yang from Behavioral interventions journal. Yang explores and discusses the advantages of using extinction in conjunction with the non-intrusive protective measures to treat SIB. In the study, extinction in combination with non-intrusive protective measures was selected as the intervention strategy to reduce SIB.

Subjects and setting

The study was conducted on two adolescent females with profound mental retardation and physical disabilities at a state facility. Both subjects exhibited self-injurious behavior (SIB) and had been wearing restrains mechanisms for more than two years to prevent injuries. The treatment sessions were conducted in the morning for one of the subjects and in the afternoon for the other subject in a multipurpose 12’ x 13’room in their residential building. The room contained a table, a desk, and three chairs. Fingernail clippers, a pair of scissors, and a bottle of white petroleum jelly were used, since the target behavior for both subjects was scratching. There was a radio playing soft music at a moderate volume during sessions. There also were several audio and visual activity materials available and placed on the table within the participants’ reach at all times during treatment. During sessions, only the therapist and the participant were in the room.

Design and results

Event recording was used to collect data during each 30 minute treatment session. Two hand held counters were used to record the target behavior. In order to constantly analyze data, and monitor the behavior, as well as avoiding possible medical concerns, each treatment session was divided into three 10 minute intervals. Initially a within-subject reversal design was in which baseline (A) and treatment (B) were alternated in an ABAB sequence, but due to frequent and severe self-injuries and for safety reasons, an AB probe design was implemented. During the baseline period, staff were instructed to respond to the target behavior as they normally did. In addition to the continuous application of non-contingent intrusive protective devices, staff was instructed to use verbal instructions to prevent injury. No SIB occurred during baseline because of continuous use of protective measures to prevent injuries. Subjects had two days in between the baselines and the treatment to allow for healing from any injuries. During treatment, both subject’s nails were checked to ensure they were short and petroleum jelly was applied on the target areas and fingertips. Both subjects’ hands then were guided to touch and manipulate the provided activity materials for about 30 seconds before they were released to start the extinction procedure. During the extinction procedure, no further verbal instructions or physical blocking were used. During extinction, SIB was observed and recorded. No verbal instructions nor physical intervention were employed to stop the SIB.

Internal, External, & Social Validity

The data was displayed on an interval graph that portrayed baseline and treatment. Internal validity was displayed in this study as each graph of the participants in the study show that there was a functional relationship between the use of continuous intrusive measures (Condition A) and non-intrusive measures during treatment (Condition B). The study results showed that extinction was both effective and efficient in eliminating severe SIB. The results also indicated that using the non-intrusive protective measures (petroleum jelly and checking nails) and allowing the target behavior to occur while minimizing self-injuries made it possible to implement the extinction procedure. External validity was also displayed because the intervention was applied effectively on more than one participant. Social validity was also present in this study, as each of the participant’s behaviors were eliminated. This research study was beneficial to subjects involved as the procedure help decrease the need for medical attention, it increased physical freedom from restraints, and even the re-growth of hair on the participants (Yang, 2003). The study results showed that extinction was both effective and efficient in eliminating severe SIB. The results also indicated that using the non-intrusive protective measures (petroleum jelly and checking nails) and allowing the target behavior to occur while minimizing self-injuries made it possible to implement the extinction procedure.

References

Yang, L.J. (2003). Combination of extinction and protective measures in the treatment of severely self-injurious behavior. Behavioral interventions (1072-0847), 18 (2), p. 109.