Improving rewards to reduce self-injury and aggression in people with developmental disabilities
Official title: Optimizing Dimensions of Reinforcement to Enhance Behavioral Interventions
Funded at Auburn University at Auburn · NIH-11176802 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looks at how changing the type, timing, and amount of rewards can help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities lower self-injury and aggression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Auburn University at Auburn NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Auburn, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $180,222 |
| NIH project number | 5R21HD113881-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11176802 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities who display severe problem behaviors such as self-injury or aggression and who can participate in behavioral testing are the best candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without IDD or whose behaviors are driven mainly by acute medical problems or non-reinforcement causes may not benefit from these reinforcement-focused methods.
What this research studies
You or a loved one with intellectual and developmental disabilities who shows severe problem behaviors could try different reward approaches to see which ones encourage safer, more appropriate actions. The team will translate findings from basic behavioral science (like how timing, size, and schedules of rewards work) into clinical tests and caregiver-friendly practices. Participants will take part in controlled preference and reinforcement tests while researchers measure how quickly improvements start and how long they last. The goal is to identify combinations of reinforcement that hold up better in everyday settings and are easier for families and clinicians to use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could produce more durable, easy-to-use reward-based techniques that reduce dangerous behaviors and improve daily functioning.
How similar studies have gone: Related reinforcement-based behavior therapies have reduced problem behaviors in past work, but using a detailed, multivariate set of reinforcement dimensions in clinical care is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Auburn University at Auburn
Auburn, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Falligant, John — Auburn University at Auburn
- Study coordinator: Falligant, John
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.