Citation

Smith RG, Iwata BA, Vollmer TR, Pace GM. J. Appl. Behav. Anal. 1992; 25(2): 433-445.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, Wiley-Blackwell)

DOI

10.1901/jaba.1992.25-433

PMID

1634431

PMCID

PMC1279722

Abstract

Many individuals who exhibit self-injurious behavior (SIB) also exhibit self-restraint. Three hypotheses about the determinants of self-restraint have been suggested: (a) Self-restraint is maintained by escape from or avoidance of aversive aspects of SIB, (b) self-restraint and SIB are members of the same functional class, and (c) self-restraint and SIB are functionally independent. This study examined a method by which the relationship between self-restraint and SIB may be investigated using functional analysis. Data were collected on the self-restraint and SIB exhibited by 5 mentally retarded males, while conditions suspected to maintain SIB were manipulated. Results suggested that self-restraint, like SIB, may be maintained by idiosyncratic contingencies. Implications of an understanding of self-restraint for the analysis and treatment of SIB are discussed, as are some general possibilities for future research.

Language: en