Operant studies of self-injurious hand biting in the Rett syndrome.

Two children with Rett syndrome were treated for their self-injurious hand biting. Results of an operant assessment showed that in both cases the behavior functioned as a self-stimulatory response. Differential reinforcement, combined with a response interruption technique, produced large reductions in the hand biting of both girls and increases in the motor performance (instruction following, toy play) of one girl. These results suggest that further operant investigations may be helpful in the understanding and management of the behavioral symptoms found in Rett syndrome.