REDUCING SELF-INJURY AND CORRESPONDING SELF-RESTRAINT THROUGH THE STRATEGIC USE OF PROTECTIVE CLOTHING |
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Authors: | Kenneth Silverman Kanji Watanabe Ann M Marshall Donald M Baer |
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Institution: | KANSAS NEUROLOGICAL INSTITUTE, AICHI INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH (JAPAN), AND UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS |
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Abstract: | We examined the use of protective clothing to reduce a retarded male's face-punching and leg-kicking and two corresponding forms of self-restraint—arm and leg self-restraint. The resident was observed each day in three sessions of randomly ordered conditions (one condition per session): without any protective clothing, with a padded helmet, and with a padded helmet and padded slippers. Use of the padded helmet substantially reduced face-punching and arm self-restraint. The addition of padded slippers reduced leg-kicking and leg self-restraint. These results suggest a practical and effective means of controlling self-injury and self-restraint. They are also consistent with the possibility that the resident's arm restraint was maintained in part by escape or avoidance of face-punching and that his leg restraint was maintained in part by escape or avoidance of leg-kicking. |
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Keywords: | protective equipment self-restraint self-injurious behavior negative reinforcement retardation |
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