An abbreviated overcorrection program to reduce self-stimulatory behaviors

An economical, abbreviated overcorrection procedure was implemented to reduce several self stimulatory and self abusive behaviors of a severely retarded child. These were monitored, along with a non-targeted behavior, tantrum screams, during treatment sessions, and during non-treatment sessions with the experimenter present or absent. A withdrawal design demonstrated that substantial reductions in essentially all the behaviors were achieved during treatment sessions, with visible though less dramatic reductions occurring at other times. Although long-term follow-up observations showed a recovery of baseline performance, the behaviors again were rapidly brought under control when a modified form of the procedure was re-instituted.