hief in a zip lock bag. The next day he would get a fresh handkerchief. During the baseline the frequency of lip biting was between four and thirty-five blood spots per day. During intervention, frequency was nine the first day and zero for the remaining thirteen days. Intervention contained two components of habit reversal. The first was relaxation, which included diaphragmatic breathing (deep, slow breathing from the belly), and progressive muscle relaxation (i.e., tensing muscles for five sec then releasing). Relaxation self-statements were also used (e.g., "My body is calm, quiet, and relaxed"). The second component was competing responses, such as gum chewing and/or tongue to lip rubbing. Using an ABAB design, results showed rapid reduction to zero rates during treatment. A two-month follow-up exam showed no evidence of irritation or biting and substantial evidence of healing (Friman, Jones, Swearer, 1997, p. 697-699).ExtinctionExtinction is defined as the withholding of reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior to reduce the occurrence of the behavior. Many inappropriate behaviors are maintained by positive reinforcement. SIB could be reinforced by social attention from others. A child who head bangs and gets adult attention (even if it is a reprimand) will most likely continue to head bang. With extinction, the idea is to ignore the undesirable behavior and reinforce more appropriate behaviors. Once the individual realizes there are no reinforcers to maintain their behavior, the behavior may decrease or go away completely.Social consequences are not always the objects of reinforcement. Some students exhibiting SIB may do so because it feels good or it is fun to do. In such instances a sensory consequence may be maintaining the behavior (i.e., self-scratching may be maintained by the tactile input resulting from the behavior). This behavior could be reduced by covering the area with heavy petroleum jelly, which eliminates...
