Use of a treatment package in the management of a profoundly mentally retarded girl's pica and self-stimulation.

Abstract

A treatment package was employed to manage the pica and self-stimulation of a 4-year-old profoundly mentally retarded girl. Each instance of pica was followed by a verbal reprimand, the removal of the particular objects/fingers from the subject's mouth, and physical restraint. Each instance of self-stimulation was followed by response interruption and positive practice overcorrection. In both cases, praise was contingent upon the absence of target behaviors. A multiple-baseline design across settings was employed. The treatment package resulted in rapid and dramatic decreases in the levels of pica and self-stimulation in each setting. These results significantly contributed to the reduction of the cost of treatment. Results suggest that efficacy and efficiency of treatment interventions should be emphasized when dealing with multiple problems of profoundly retarded children and special emphasis should be placed on the treatment package strategy to enhance the efficiency of a given therapeutic technique.