Behavioral Interventions for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities Exhibiting automatically-Reinforced Challenging Behavior: Stereotypy and Self-Injury

Abstract

Challenging behaviors (CBs) among those with intellectual disabilities (ID) such as stereotyped behavior (stereotypy) and self-injurious behavior (SIB) are widespread, dangerous, progressive in nature, and can interfere significantly with an individual's quality of life. When the function of CB is identified, interventions are more successful. This paper reviewed literature on available behavioral interventions for automatically reinforced cases of stereotypy and SIB. Sixteen single-subject studies met the inclusion criteria, and interventions were analyzed according to the topography exhibited. Every intervention successfully decreased the stereotypy or SIB for its participant. This literature review shows that individualized behavioral interventions can be successful at reducing automatically reinforced CBs. Implications for interventions are discussed separately for stereotypy and SIB.