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.