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| Response Dynamics in Stereotypic Movement Disorder With Self-Injury: Knowns, Unknowns, and Possibilities |
| Sunday, January 19, 2025 |
| 11:30 AM–12:20 PM |
| Sheraton New Orleans, Level 3, Napoleon Ballroom BC |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: M. Christopher Newland (Auburn University) |
| CE Instructor: M. Christopher Newland, Ph.D. |
| Presenting Author: JOHN FALLIGANT (Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine) |
| Abstract: More than three million individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the United States engage in self-injurious behavior (SIB; head banging, self-biting, striking one’s body). SIB causes injuries that vary from minor (e.g. superficial scratches) to very severe (e.g., concussions, bruising, lacerations, amputation of digits, tooth fractures, retinal detachment, broken bones). SIB is also extremely concerning because it is a major source of suffering for caregivers, can necessitate restrictive behavioral and pharmacological interventions, limits opportunities for educational and community inclusion, and is a costly strain on healthcare systems. In most cases, SIB is maintained by social consequences (e.g., caregiver attention). However, in approximately 25% of cases SIB occurs independent of social contingencies. This class of behavior, referred to as automatically maintained SIB, can be highly resistant to reinforcement-based interventions. In the first part of this presentation, I will overview a subtyping model delineating treatment-resistant and non-treatment-resistant phenotypes of automatically maintained SIB. In the second part, I will discuss some analytic methods, along with illustrative data, that may inform applied research on variables contributing to treatment-resistant SIB. |
| Instruction Level: Intermediate |
| Target Audience: Behavior analysts, psychologists, physicians |
| Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to: (1) Tact the different patterns of self-injury within the functional analysis that are highly predictive of response to treatment with reinforcement-based procedures; (2) Define the hallmark clinical features of Subtype 1, Subtype 2, and Subtype 3 self-injury; (3) Describe the distinct temporal dynamics found in Subtype 1 and Subtype 2 self-injury. |
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| JOHN FALLIGANT (Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine) |
 Dr. Falligant earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Auburn University, where he currently serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences. He previously held the ranks of assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and senior behavior analyst in the Neurobehavioral Unit at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. His clinical work focuses on the functional assessment and treatment of challenging behavior among children, adolescents, and young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders. His research emphasizes concepts and methods grounded in translational behavior science, aiming to bridge the gap between basic behavioral research and applied practice. This involves the fine-grained analysis of behavioral events, including the microstructure of behavior and its dynamics, and coalesces around neurobehavioral variables underlying dysfunction, persistence, and change. Dr. Falligant’s work is supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, and the Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Foundation. |
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