Use of reinforcement plus interruption to reduce self-stimulation in a child with multiple handicaps

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral intervention in reducing Stereotypic tongue chewing, hand flapping, and head weaving exhibited by a 4-year-old child with visual impairment and moderate mental retardation. In adhering to ethical guidelines to use the least restrictive treatment method, the efficacy of differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior (DRI) alone was evaluated with tongue chewing. DRI involved verbal praise and soft physical touch. Because this strategy had minimal impact on the target behavior, a response interruption component was added. This procedure entailed a verbal cue plus physical interruption of the maladaptive response. The combination of techniques was effective in suppressing tongue chewing, and later, hand flapping and head weaving. A multiple baseline design demonstrated the controlling effects of treatment. Also, probes showed that behavior change occurred across several settings and for up to 2 months. Finally, ratings by independent judges indicated that following intervention, the child exhibited less self-stimulatory and more on-task behavior during a group activity.