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. 1986 Winter;19(4):381–389. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1986.19-381

Stimulus fading and transfer in the treatment of self-restraint and self-injurious behavior.

G M Pace, B A Iwata, G L Edwards, K C McCosh
PMCID: PMC1308087  PMID: 3804871

Abstract

We conducted several manipulations of mechanical restraint properties during the course of treatment for two profoundly retarded adolescents who exhibited both self-restraint and self-injurious behavior. In study 1, a combination of prompting, differential reinforcement, and stimulus fading reduced one subject's self-restraint, which consisted of holding rigid tubes on his arms. Subsequently, stimulus control of both self-restraint and self-injurious behavior was transferred to tennis wrist bands. In study 2, a second subject's self-restraint--placing his hands in his pants--was immediately eliminated by the use of air splints. Additionally, differential reinforcement and air-pressure fading resulted in the complete mobility of his arms and a substantial increase in appropriate behaviors. Results of this investigation suggest that stimulus fading and transfer may be valuable components in the elimination of self-restraint.

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Selected References

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