Therapeutic effects and long-term efficacy of antidepressant medication for persons with developmental disabilities. Behavioral assessment in two cases of treatment-resistant aggression and self-injury.

Recent advances in pharmacological treatment of severe behavior disorders in persons with developmental disabilities suggest the use of antidepressant medication for therapeutic management. This research evaluated two antidepressant medications for treatment-resistant aggression and self-injury exhibited by two persons with developmental disabilities. Behavioral assessment data documented that sertraline (a serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor) was effective in reducing self-injurious behaviors in a 20-year-old man with severe mental retardation and clomipramine (a tricyclic antidepressant) was associated with the elimination of aggressive behavior in a 14-year-old boy with autism. Clinical effects from the medications were measured in relation to and shown to be a function of dosage level. Extended follow-up assessments revealed maintenance of treatment gains with continued medication administration.