The ontogeny of self-injurious behavior exhibited by very young children with severe developmental delays is because of a complex interaction between neurobiological and environmental variables. This talk will cover variables that contribute to emerging self-injury in the developmental disability population with a focus on an operant conceptual model of how topographies of self-injurious behavior can change structurally and become sensitive to various environmental consequences. Data will be described in terms of extending our research focus from a reactive model of assessment and treatment of well-established cases of self-injury to an early intervention and prevention model.
CE: 1.0 credit BACB