EVALUATING THE EFFICACY OF FUNCTIONAL COMMUNICATION TRAINING IN REDUCING SELF-INJURIOUS AND SELF-STIMULATORY BEHAVIORS IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Abstract

Self-injurious behaviors (SIBs) and self-stimulatory behaviors (SSBs) are common and challenging among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), often linked to sensory hypersensitivities. This single-subject experimental study investigated the relative efficacy of Functional Communication Training (FCT) in reducing SIB/SSB across seven sensory domains over a three-month period. The target population comprised children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibiting sensory hypersensitivities and self-injurious or self-stimulatory behaviors. Using purposive sampling, a six-year-old male child with severe visual hypersensitivity and frequent SIB/SSB was intentionally selected as the single participant for this study. The participant was a six-year-old male with ASD and severe visual hypersensitivity. Quantitative analysis revealed the highest reductions in sensory hypersensitivity in the proprioceptive (54.01%), vestibular (50.16%), and auditory (47.31%) domains. However, corresponding behavioral reductions in SIB/SSB were modest, with visual-related behaviors reducing by 13.51%, tactile by 9.06%, auditory by 7.42%, vestibular by 6.34%, and proprioceptive by only 3.15%. Olfactory and gustatory domains showed the lowest behavioral reductions at 2.83% and 4.21%, respectively. Pearson correlation (r ≈ 0.28) and Spearman’s rank correlation (ρ ≈ 0.29) between sensory and behavioral reductions indicated a weak positive association. These findings suggest that while FCT is effective in desensitizing sensory input, its behavioral impact is domain-specific and may require integration with other interventions to maximize reduction in SIB/SSB. The study highlights the importance of individualized, sensory-informed behavioral strategies in managing ASD-related challenges.