Functional assessment and treatment of self-injury in a pediatric,nursing-care resident

The present study addressed the functional assessment and treatment of self-injury in an 18-year-old resident within a pediatric, nursing-care facility. During Phase 1 of the study, the rate of self-injurious eye-pressing was recorded when the client wore large protective mittens and conditions in which the mittens were absent in order to evaluate sensory reinforcing effects from the behavior. These results led to a program of sensory extinction combined with stimulus fading. The program featured the gradual reduction in the size of the mittens while rates of self-injury were maintained at reduced levels. During postfading assessment, near-zero rates were recorded.