A COMPARISON OF SIMULTANEOUS AND DELAYED REINFORCEMENT AS TREATMENTS FOR FOOD SELECTIVITY

This study compared the relative efficacy of providing simultaneous or delayed reinforcement on food acceptance during meals. The participant was a 7-year-old boy with pervasive developmental disorder and a history of food selectivity. Results indicated that both procedures were effective in increasing acceptance; however, the simultaneous reinforcement procedure produced more rapid behavior change and a higher overall percentage of food acceptance.     

VISUAL SCREENING: AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD FOR REDUCING STEREOTYPIC BEHAVIORS

Visual screening, a mildly aversive response suppression procedure, was evaluated across two studies for its effectiveness in reducing topographically similar and dissimilar stereotypic behaviors of four developmentally disabled children. In the first study, a multiple baseline design across subjects and behaviors was used to assess the effectiveness of the procedure as a treatment for reducing the visual and auditory self-stimulatory responses of two 9-yr-old mentally retarded and behaviorally disturbed children. A multiple baseline design across subjects was used in the second study to evaluate the effectiveness of visual screening as a treatment for reducing stereotypic fabric pulling and self-mutilative ear bending, respectively, of two 13-yr-old mentally retarded, autisticlike adolescents. Long-term follow-up data for both studies were reported. The results suggested that visual screening was an easily administered, effective, and exceptionally durable treatment procedure for controlling a variety of stereotypic behaviors commonly associated with the developmentally disabled.     

FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS AND TREATMENT OF EYE POKING

In four studies we analyzed the eye poking of a youth with profound disabilities. In Study 1, a functional analysis showed that eye poking occurred during the no-attention condition, but not during demand, attention, or recreation conditions. The analysis did not identify socially mediated variables involved in the maintenance of eye poking; rather, eye poking may have been maintained by consequences produced directly by the response. In Study 2 we had the student wear goggles to prevent potential reinforcement from finger—eye contact. The results of Study 2 indicated that eye-poking attempts were reduced when the student wore goggles. We then tested in Study 3 the effects of two alternative topographies of stimulation. Study 3 demonstrated that eye poking was reduced when a video game was provided as a competing source of visual stimulation, and that music was less effective in reducing eye poking. In Study 4, a contingency analysis using the video game was conducted in an attempt to (a) reduce the frequency of eye poking and (b) study whether the video game functioned as a reinforcer. The results of Study 4 demonstrated substantive reductions in the frequency of eye poking, and suggested that the video game served as a reinforcer.     

Variability in the Functions of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury: Evidence From Three Real-Time Monitoring Studies

Despite functional models of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) helping to explain why people engage in this perplexing behavior, we still lack an understanding of some of the key properties of NSSI functions. Here, we address three unanswered questions about NSSI functions: how much do distinct NSSI functions (1) vary between people over time, (2) vary within people over time, and (3) simultaneously co-occur over time? Data were drawn from three ecological momentary assessment (EMA) studies of self-injurious adult psychiatric outpatients (n = 7), community-based adolescents (n = 15), and community-based adults (n = 9). Across the three studies, there was a total of 271 NSSI episodes (all with corresponding functions captured by EMA). The vast majority (27 of 31; 87%) of participants exhibited unique patterns of NSSI functions during the monitoring periods, indicating high variability between people. The vast majority (26 of 31; 84%) of participants also showed changes in NSSI functions over time, indicating high variability within people. Although it was most common for only one function to be reported for a given NSSI episode, participants endorsed more than one function for 22% to 43% of NSSI episodes, indicating that different functions did simultaneously co-occur. These results underscore that reinforcement processes for NSSI differ from person-to-person, and are both time-varying and multifaceted, which has implications for personalized assessment and treatment of this clinical phenomenon.     

Self-harming behaviours of asylum seekers and refugees in Europe: A systematic review

The increasing number of asylum seekers and refugees in Europe calls for even more professionals to take care of refugees' mental health. Although different studies claim that migration could be a potential risk factor for self-harming behaviours, an in-depth exploration of the presence and characteristics of self-harm in the context of asylum is needed. In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review was conducted across the databases Scopus, PubMed, Web of Knowledge and PsycArticles, regarding the main features of self-harming behaviour among refugees in Europe. Twelve articles and 3 main trajectories were identified: (1) A context at-risk: self-harm and detention centres; (2) A target at-risk: self-harm and unaccompanied minors; (3) A comparison between the mental health of asylum seekers and natives. Research on this topic in Europe is still underdeveloped and disorganised. Studies have mainly carried out wider quantitative investigations on mental health, usually overlapping self-harm with suicide. Detention centres emerged as the most widely investigated context and the one with the highest risk for self-harming behaviours. Instead, unaccompanied minors emerged as a particularly vulnerable category. Research in this field should be improved, combining quantitative and qualitative methods for a deeper understanding of the meanings of self-harm across cultures.     

Young women with and without non-suicidal self-injury: A comparison of romantic relationship functioning

IntroductionThe interpersonal context of an individual struggling with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is of critical importance.ObjectiveThe purpose of the current study is to offer, through a dyadic perspective, a unique portrait of the relevant indicators of romantic relationship functioning (i.e., romantic attachment, dyadic trust, dyadic coping, relationship satisfaction, and caregiving) that distinguish young women who have engaged in NSSI from those who have not.MethodParticipants consisted of 20 women who indicated having engaged in NSSI in the past six months and 20 women who indicated having never engaged in NSSI, along with their respective partner.ResultsResults revealed that women who engaged in NSSI were more likely to report subjective distress in the form of attachment anxiety and distrust, as well as lower relationship satisfaction and adaptive dyadic coping strategies, compared to women who had never engaged in NSSI. Findings also showed that partners of women who engaged in self-injury reported more attachment anxiety than partners of women who do not engage in NSSI.ConclusionThese results highlight the importance of romantic relationship dynamics and the potential associations with engagement in self-injurious behaviors, which has implications for the development of effective prevention and intervention strategies.     

Peer influence and adolescent nonsuicidal self-injury: A theoretical review of mechanisms and moderators

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is an increasingly prevalent health risk behavior among adolescents and represents a significant public health concern. Although researchers have identified numerous antecedents or risk factors that precede engagement in NSSI behaviors, few studies have examined the role of peer influence processes. Yet, recent research suggests that adolescents may be more likely to engage in NSSI when close friends or other peers engage in similar behaviors. The following paper reviews past research on peer influence effects, including potential mechanisms and moderating variables. Methodological considerations for future research on peer influence and NSSI are discussed.     

自伤行为研究：现状、问题与建议

自我伤害行为指个体在没有明确自杀意图的情况下, 故意、重复地改变或伤害自己的身体组织。这种行为虽不致死, 但极具危险性。对自伤的诊断一直存在争议, 争议的焦点主要是自伤与自杀、自伤与边缘型人格障碍的关系问题。从流行学调查结果看, 国内普通青少年自伤比例高于西方, 达36%~57%, 但该行为在国内所受关注不多、相关研究甚少。影响自伤的危险因子, 总体可分为早年创伤性经验和个体易感性两大类, 后者包括情绪管理障碍、冲动性和生物学因素, 但各因素对自伤的影响程度尚不清楚。从病因和病理学研究现状看, 很多理论模型被提出来解释自伤的动机和原因, 包括功能性模型、发展病理性模型和整合模型等。自伤领域的研究虽然在近10年有飞跃性的增长, 但仍然有很多问题值得进一步探讨, 未来研究可以考虑进行自伤的分类研究、某些主题的细化研究、跨学科和跨文化研究等。     

父母冲突与青少年自伤的关系:一个有调节的中介模型

以情绪安全感理论为依据考察父母冲突与青少年自伤的关系,并在此基础上提出一个有调节的中介模型,探讨情绪不安全感的中介作用以及情绪调节自我效能感的调节作用。采用整群抽样法对2800名中学生进行问卷调查,结果表明:(1)在所有青少年被试中有自伤行为的比例占41.49%,青少年的自伤水平在年级、学校类型和是否为独生子女这些人口学变量上有显著差异;(2)父母冲突能显著地正向预测青少年的自伤水平,情绪不安全感在两者之间起部分中介作用;(3)控制消极情绪自我效能感对情绪不安全感的中介作用有显著的负向调节作用,只有当控制消极情绪自我效能感很低时,情绪不安全感在父母冲突和青少年自伤水平的中介作用才是显著的。     

大学生自伤行为的强化敏感性基础

强化敏感性包括惩罚敏感性和奖励敏感性, 它影响个体的情绪、动机和行为过程, 与个体的情绪反应性密切相关。极端的强化敏感性与情绪管理障碍及多种自伤相关行为存在密切联系。为探索强化敏感性与自伤行为的关系, 研究1采用BIS/BAS量表和青少年自我伤害问卷, 对717名大学生进行了调查。研究2在研究1的基础上, 采用Q−任务和CARROT范式, 由127名大学生参加实验, 进一步考察不同功能的自伤行为的强化敏感性基础。结果表明：①惩罚敏感性、奖励敏感性及其愉悦寻求维度均对自伤行为有正向预测作用; ②情绪管理组自伤被试以高惩罚敏感性和接近正常的奖励敏感性为特征, 刺激寻求组自伤被试以高奖励敏感性和接近正常的惩罚敏感性为特征。结论：强化敏感性可有效预测自伤行为; 情绪管理和刺激寻求两种功能的自伤行为具有不同的强化敏感性基础; 对自伤行为进行分类研究十分必要。