Functional analysis and treatment of severe pica.

The team watched one adult with severe pica in a state facility.

They ran short test sessions to see when pica happened most.

Staff gave attention, took away tasks, or left the client alone for each test.

Pica soared when staff talked to the client after each episode.

It dropped when staff stayed quiet and removed the protective helmet.

The two changes together wiped out almost every pica attempt.

Rosenthal et al. (1980) had shown that helmets stop pica but also stop social contact.

Lord et al. (1986) flipped that idea: taking the helmet away plus quiet staff worked even better.

Rojahn et al. (1987) later used water-mist punishment and got the same drop, yet the 1986 study did it without any aversive.

Morris et al. (2021) later copied the FA logic in a 55-minute home visit, proving parents can do it too.

You can test pica function in under an hour with no gear.

If attention fuels the behavior, try silent brief responses and remove safety gear that may signal play time.

This gives you a non-aversive plan you can teach staff or parents today.