Managing Self-injurious  Behaviors

Official title: Response Interruption and Redirection

A gentle response to repetitive, self-injurious behaviors

Goal

In the moment, reduce self-injurious behaviors by providing calm, supportive redirection.

How

When a self-injurious behavior occurs, quickly interrupt and redirect the learner. If you know the behavior’s function, choose a replacement that meets that same need. If not, redirect to something that supports safety and self-regulation in the moment.

Context

Use this strategy to address repetitive self-injury such as head banging, self-biting, skin picking, or mouthing inedible objects. Note that this is a punishment strategy, so while it can reduce sensory-based behaviors, be sure to also proactively teach and reinforce appropriate replacement skills.

Tip

To choose an effective replacement, understand what makes the self-injury soothing. For example, in head banging, is it the motion or the pressure? The more specific your insight, the more effective your replacement will be. Proactively offer that type of sensory input and teach the learner how to request it.

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