Reduction of automatically maintained self-injurious behavior utilizing noncontingent matched stimuli

Abstract

Objective: Analyze the effects of noncontingent matched stimulation (NMS) on the self-injurious behavior (SIB) of an eight-year-old boy with autism.

Methods: First, a functional analysis was conducted to identify the reinforcers maintaining SIB. Next, an informal preference assessment was conducted to identify a potential object to provide safe matched stimulation. A multielement design was implemented to evaluate the effects of two conditions: (a) noncontingent access to attention and unmatched stimulation (DVD player) and (b) intervention consisting of access to NMS.

Results: Results suggested that NMS resulted in a marked decrease of SIB relative to baseline conditions with unmatched stimulation.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that unconventional stimuli may provide stimulation similar to that produced by SIB.

• Automatically maintained behavior
• environmental enrichment
• noncontingent matched stimulation
• noncontingent matched stimuli
• self-injurious behavior