EFFECTS AND SIDE EFFECTS OF DRO AS TREATMENT FOR SELF‐INJURIOUS BEHAVIOR

Abstract

A three‐part controlled case study is presented in which severe and longstanding self‐injurious behavior exhibited by a 9‐year‐old‐boy was treated successfully with differential reinforcement of other behavior. In Phase 1, an experimental analysis demonstrated that the boy's scratching was not maintained by environmental contingencies; instead, it appeared that the self‐injurious behavior was a stereotypic (automatically reinforced) response. In Phase 2, the effects of an escalating differential‐reinforcement‐of‐other‐behavior schedule mediated through token reinforcement (pennies) were evaluated in a reversal design. Results showed that differential‐reinforcement‐of‐other‐behavior eliminated self‐injurious behavior very quickly and for periods of time as long as 30 min. A noteworthy side effect observed during Phase 2 was the occurrence of crying behavior following the nondelivery of reinforcement. In Phase 3, the token program was gradually extended in 30‐min increments throughout the day. Additionally, results of a brief multielement manipulation showed that the effects of token reinforcement were superior to those of a more easily administered differential reinforcement of other behavior based on social reinforcement, which differed little from baseline.