Power of Magic Hands: Parent-Driven Application of Habit Reversal to Treat Complex Stereotypy in a 3-Year-Old

• Published in: Health psychology 2013-08, Vol.32 (8), p.915-920
• Main Authors: Freeman, Kurt A, Duke, Danny C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavior Change; Behavior Therapy; Behavior therapy. Cognitive therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Child, Preschool; Children; Cognitive Therapy - methods; Female; Habit reversal; Habits; Hands; Hormone replacement therapy; Human; Humans; Intervention; Medical sciences; Parent-Child Relations; Parents; Parents - education; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Reversal Learning; Stereotyped Behavior; Stereotypic Movement Disorder - therapy; Treatment Outcome; Treatments; Young children
• ISSN: 0278-6133; 1930-7810
• DOI: 10.1037/a0031713

Objective: The authors assessed the effectiveness of habit reversal training (HRT) to treat a complex motor stereotypy in a healthy 3-year-old female. Method: This data-based case study involved training parents in HRT to deliver the parent-driven intervention to the child. The frequency of the child's behaviors was estimated daily in 30-min intervals by her parents. Results: Outcomes supported the effectiveness of the intervention, with the estimated frequency of the stereotypy decreasing from occurring during approximately 85% of recorded intervals to less than 2% over a period of 4 weeks. Further record keeping over 19 weeks suggested treatment gains were generally maintained over time. Conclusions: The current case study provides preliminary evidence supporting the effectiveness of modified HRT to reduce stereotypies in young children. Further, data suggest that the intervention may be extended to younger ages by teaching parents how to facilitate treatment delivery.