Elimination of nocturnal headbanging in a normal seven-year-old girl using overcorrection plus rewards.

An overcorrection procedure and rewards were implemented to eliminate nocturnal headbanging in a normal 7-yr-old girl. The treatment procedure involved immediate detection of headbanging by an alarm activated by a movement-sensitive switch attached to the child's bed headboard. The overcorrection procedure consisted of practicing intensively the correct form of the relevant behavior (positive practice) and applying a lotion to the irritated area of the scalp (restitution). Rewards were also made contingent upon the absence of headbanging. These procedures resulted in an immediate reduction and eventual total elimination of headbanging. Three- and six-month follow-up assessments showed that headbanging no longer occurred.