Punishment learning and self mutilation in Lesch Nyhan disease

Punishment learning and self mutilation in Lesch Nyhan disease

Anderson L; Dancis J; Alpert M; Herrmann L

Nature

1977

automutilation; aversion; child; etiology; learning; Lesch Nyhan syndrome; punishment; reinforcement therapy; behavioral problems; psychological intervention; aversive stimulation electric shock; positive reinforcement; time-out; self-injury; self-mutilation

The self injurious behavior of five male children with Lesch Nyhan disease was studied during three learning paradigms: punishment, positive reinforcement and time out from reinforcement following an attempt at self injury. Punishment of self injury by contingent electric finger shock failed to suppress this behavior but positive reinforcement of non self injury and time out procedures were effective. The results stress the importance of environmental factors in the development and control of self injurious behavior, and suggest the presence of an unusual harmful defect which may be related to the specific enzyme deficiency in Lesch Nyhan disease.

Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).