Three distinct phenomena are found to affect the autoionization of a quasicontinuum. For certain initial superpositions of the states within the quasicontinuum, the autoionization may be inhibited by quantum interference and the population may be trapped. For those initial superpositions that do decay, a self-trapping effect can be observed which causes the superposition to evolve into a trapped state. The self-trapping is due to a redistribution of the population within the quasicontinuum via Raman-like transitions driven by the channel interaction with the continuum acting as the intermediate state. The physical system of a two-electron atom is studied. There the autoionizing continuum is created by an isolated core excitation that embeds a range of highly excited Rydberg states into the continuum. Another mechanism appears, in this system, that affects the autoionization. When the channel interaction is strong compared to the strength of the core excitation a stabilizing effect occurs which slows the autoionization. Analytical models examine these effects in a system with degenerate quasicontinua. Perfect population trapping, self-trapping, and stabilization are all clearly displayed by this system. Numerical models of nondegenerate quasicontinua show that the stabilization process is virtually unchanged by the lifting of the degeneracy. These models also show that, in general, the trapping effects largely disappear. However, a synchronization of the free evolution of the quasicontinuum states with Rabi oscillation of the core excitation returns them to significant roles in the decay process. A wide variety of nondecaying states can be created. Competition between these mechanisms is explored and the impact of these phenomena on experiments is considered.