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Functional Communication Training and Naltrexone Treatment of Self‐Injurious Behaviour: An Experimental Case Report
Author(s) -
Symons Frank J.,
Fox Nichole D.,
Thompson Travis
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1468-3148
pISSN - 1360-2322
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3148.1998.tb00067.x
Subject(s) - naltrexone , training (meteorology) , psychology , physical medicine and rehabilitation , medicine , opioid , receptor , physics , meteorology
The self‐injurious behaviour of people with intellectual disabilities, autism, and related developmental disabilities remains one of the most difficult behaviour problems to treat clinically. Two promising approaches to effective treatment involve teaching the person communication skills that are functionally equivalent to the self‐injury or administering opiate antagonist medication. Here an experimental case study, in which naltrexone was combined with functional communication training, is reported. Using a within‐subject ABCDC experimental design, reductions in rate of self‐injury were observed during the naltrexone alone phase as well as during combined treatment phases. The implications of conducting a functional assessment prior to behavioural and pharmacological intervention are discussed.