Daniel M. Seys

Elimination of vomiting in a retarded female using restitutional overcorrection

A successful treatment of vomiting behavior is realized through application of restitutional overcorrection in a 19-year-old profoundly retarded female. Methodological control guarantees the internal validity of this treatment.

Treatment of chronic food refusal in a young developmentally disabled child

Chronic food refusal is a common problem among young children with developmental disabilities. Children with chronic food refusal may require supplemental tube feedings or parental feedings. A multicomponent treatment package consisting of escape–avoidance extinction, shaping and positive reinforcement was effective in establishing a normal oral feeding pattern with a 1.5 years old developmentally disabled child who was fed by gastrostomic tube. Treatment effects generalized to the home setting and were maintained during follow-up. After treatment, tube-feeding was discontinued. Copyright

A quasi-experimental study on the effect of electrical aversion treatment on imposed mechanical restraint for severe self-injurious behavior

Eight individuals with mental retardation and imposed mechanical restraints due to severe, life-threatening self-injurious behavior received electrical aversive treatment. Eight other individuals, who had been matched with the treatment group in terms of the degree of imposed mechanical restraint due to the above problem behavior, had not received electrical aversion treatment. A comparison of imposed mechanical restraint scores, as a measure of severity of self-injurious behavior, between both groups over a period of three years, revealed that electrical aversion treatment significantly reduces the degree of imposed mechanical restraint.

Long-Term Use of Electrical Aversion Treatment With Self-Injurious Behavior

Twelve severely and profoundly mentally retarded individuals with life-threatening self-injurious behaviors were exposed to electrical aversion treatment using a remotely controlled device. Long-term effectiveness was assessed for periods ranging from 2 to 47 months for the 12 individuals, respectively. The degree of imposed physical restraint was used as the major dependent variable. With two individuals, the treatment failed to suppress self-injurious behavior. With seven individuals, however, suppression was nearly complete in that physical restraints were no longer necessary. With three individuals moderate effects were obtained, in that, although a substantial decrease of imposed physical restraint had been achieved, they still needed daily administrations of electrical aversive stimuli. The results are discussed in terms of the practical application of this procedure.

An inventory method for assessing the degree of restraint imposed by others

An inventory for assessing the degree of mechanical restraint imposed by others to prevent individuals from inflicting physical injuries to themselves or to others, the Imposed Mechanical Restraint Inventory (IMRI), was developed. The inventory was administered to pairs of residential direct-care staff members to assess 113 individuals with mental retardation who showed self-injurious behavior while various sorts of mechanical restraint were imposed on them. The results indicate that the inventory showed acceptable levels of interobserver reliability, intraobserver reliability, and accuracy.

Verhaltenstherapeutische Behandlung eines mehrfach behinderten Kindes bei Nahrungsverweigerung

Zusammenfassung. Bei Kindern mit physischen Beeintrachtigungen und geistigen Behinderungen ist haufig eine Nahrungsverweigerung zu beobachten. Wahrend der Ausgangspunkt dieses Problemverhaltens oft organisch bedingt ist, wird es vielfach durch Verhaltens- und Umweltfaktoren konditioniert und aufrechterhalten. In diesen Fallen spielen Lernprozesse fur die Verweigerung bzw. Vermeidung der Nahrungsaufnahme eine zentrale Rolle. In der vorliegenden Studie erwies sich eine Kombination von verhaltenstherapeutischen Verfahren bei der Behandlung eines mehrfach behinderten Kindes im Alter von 2,6 Jahren zum Aufbau eines “normalen“ Essverhaltens als effektiv.