Treatment of severe self-injurious behavior among the institutionalized retarded using a combination of overcorrection, contingent restraint, and increased interaction

Three severely developmentally delayed institutionalized adolescent individuals were treated for severe self-injurious behavior over a three month period. Treatment consisted of positive practice overcorrection, restraint delivered as a reinforcer for an absence of self-injury, and increased interaction during task training sessions. Treatment was faded for two of the individuals in successive steps involving decreased restraint and interaction. Self-injurious behavior was reduced in all cases. Prosocial behaviors increased with reductions in self-injurious behavior