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| The Use of Contingent Skin Shock in Treating Behaviors Other than Aggression and Self-Abuse |
| Monday, May 25, 2009 |
| 10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
| North 120 D |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Chair: Matthew L. Israel (Judge Rotenberg Center) |
| Discussant: F. J. Barrera (Private consultant practice) |
| Abstract: Contingent Skin Shock (CSS) has been successfully employed to treat self-abuse and aggression where positive-only or less restrictive aversives, including psychotropic medications, proved insufficiently effective by themselves, and where its use was recommended by a functional assessment of the presenting problems. However, CSS has only rarely been used to treat other behaviors such as property destruction, noncompliance, and behaviors that severely disrupt educational and social development. We report the use of supplementary CSS to treat such behaviors in 72 students with severe behavior disorders attending a residential treatment program during the period 2003 to 2008. Results, plotted in a multiple-baseline-across-students design, show immediate, substantial and sustained effectiveness of CSS, enabling new skills to be taught and with fading of CSS accomplished with some students. During this study, new regulations of the New York State Department of Education required the temporary removal of CSS treatment for a period of 9 weeks, until a federal judge temporarily blocked these regulations at the request of the parents. The effects of this removal on both the behaviors being treated, as well as on aggression and self-abuse, will be discussed, as well as the current status of this lawsuit. |
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| Why Might Problem Behaviors Other than Aggression and Self-Abuse Ever Need to be Treated with Contingent Skin Shock? |
| NATHAN BLENKUSH (Judge Rotenberg Center) |
| Abstract: There are a number of topographies of problem behaviors that are intractable to standard behavioral and pharmaceutical interventions that cannot be classified as aggressive or self-abusive behaviors. In this presentation, we will describe the successful treatment of a variety of intractable behaviors using Contingent Skin Shock. First, we will review the literature associated with the use of CSS to treat non-aggressive and non-self injurious behaviors. Second, we will discuss how problem behaviors such as property destruction, major disruption (e.g. yelling, tantrums,), noncompliance or any other behavior in excess can severely harm students and completely interfere with treatment, education, and social development. Finally, we will present a series of case studies that will illustrate the use of CSS to treat these types of behaviors. Finally, we will discuss the treatment of these behaviors within the framework of the right to effective treatment. |
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| The Use of Supplementary Contingent Skin Shock to Treat Behaviors Other than Aggression and Self-Abuse in 72 Students. |
| ROBERT VON HEYN (Judge Rotenberg Center) |
| Abstract: We describe the use of supplementary Contingent Skin Shock (CSS) to address intractable behaviors other than aggression and self-abuse. From 2003 to 2006, CSS was added to the programs of 72 students. However, in June of 2006, the New York State Department of Education put into effect regulations that limited the use of skin shock to aggressive and self-injurious behaviors. Subsequently, a federal judge temporarily blocked these regulations at the request of the parents and treatment resumed for most of these students. Here we first describe the initial effect of adding CSS to the students programs. Second, we describe the effect of the temporary suspension of the treatment for behaviors such as major disruption, property destruction, and noncompliance. Third, we describe how the regulations affected the treatment of problem behaviors such as aggression and self-abuse. Finally, we describe the effect of the reintroduction of CSS treatment, following intervention by a federal judge, for destructive, major disruptive, and noncompliant behaviors. |
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| New York State Education Department’s Regulations Limiting and Ending the use of Aversives and a Suit by Parents to Block the Regulations. |
| NICK LOWTHER (Judge Rotenberg Center) |
| Abstract: In June of 2006, the New York State Department of Education put into effect a set of regulations related to the use of aversive interventions such as Contingent Skin Shock (CSS). The regulations limited the use of CSS (and other procedures such as mechanical restraint) only to aggressive and self-injurious behaviors. The regulations also placed a number of other restrictions on the use of procedures such as CSS. However, after 9 weeks, in September of 2006, a federal judge temporarily blocked these regulations at the request of the parents. In this presentation, we discuss the impact these regulations had on the students at the Judge Rotenberg Center. In addition, the history of this lawsuit will be discussed. Finally, we will provide an update regarding the current status of the suit. |
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