Self-management for building independence: Research and future directions

Although behavior analysts have at times struggled with self-management as a concept, research shows that self-management training has been an effective means of promoting independence for individuals with disabilities across ages, settings, and target behaviors. This paper explores the philosophical concerns with self-management as a behavioral intervention, and provides answers to these objections. A review of selected self-management procedures, including audio cues, tactile prompting devices, video modeling, and personal digital assistants is presented. Particular attention is paid to the development of more sophisticated self-management procedures as technology has improved over time, with suggestions for future directions based on access to continued improvements in available technology.