Noncontingent reinforcement as treatment for food refusal and associated self-injury.

David A. Wilder, Matthew Normand, & Julie Atwell (2005). Noncontingent reinforcement as treatment for food refusal and associated self-injury. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 38, 549-553.

We examined the use of noncontingent reinforcement to decrease self-injury and increase bite acceptance in a child who exhibited food refusal. First, a brief functional analysis suggested that self-injury was maintained by escape from food presentation. Next, we evaluated an intervention that involved noncontingent access to a video during feeding sessions. Results of the intervention showed a decrease in self-injury and an increase in bite acceptance.

DESCRIPTORS: brief functional analysis, food refusal, self-injury