Contingent Restraint

Contingent restraint is a procedure typically used to decrease or eliminate self-injurious behavior (SIB) or aggressive behavior in individuals with developmental disabilities. It has also been successfully used in the treatment of pica and in combination with biofeedback relaxation training. Contingent restraint involves physically preventing an individual from engaging in the maladaptive target behavior. The most frequent population of individuals it is used with are children with autism or mental retardation. It is best used in combination with other procedures, most notably reinforcement procedures. Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) and differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) are two reinforcement procedures most commonly combined with contingent restraint. Because contingent restraint involves physically restraining the target individual, it is used as a method of last ...