Reducing Risky Behavior with Habit Reversal: A Review of Strategies to Reduce Hand-to-Head Behavior

Info & Abstract

Heinicke, M. R., Stiede, J. T., Miltenberger, R. G., & Woods, D. W. (2020). Reducing risky behavior with habit reversal: A review of behavioral strategies to reduce habitual hand‐to‐head behavior. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 53(3), 1225-1236.

Habit reversal training (HRT) has been a mainstay of behavior analysts’ repertoire for nearly the last 50 years. HRT has been effective in treating a host of repetitive behavior problems. In the face of the current coronavirus pandemic, HRT has practical public health importance as a possible intervention for reducing hand-to-head behaviors that increase the risk of viral infection. The current paper provides a brief review of HRT for hand-to-head habits that is designed for a broad audience and