Assessment of self‐restraint using a functional analysis of self‐injury

Abstract

When self-restraint and self-injurious behavior (SIB) co-occur, self-restraint might be maintained by negative reinforcement through the removal of SIB. The current study evaluated this possibility with an individual who exhibited hand-to-head SIB. Three functional analyses of SIB were conducted: (a) no consequences for self-restraint, (b) self-restraint blocked, and (c) hypothesized aversive effects of SIB blocked. The outcomes of the 3 analyses suggested that self-restraint was maintained by negative reinforcement.