This paper reports on a six-month continuation treatment with naltrexone of six children with autism, previously found to be responsive to naltrexone in a four-week trial. Results indicated the moderate hyperactivity-reducing effect of naltrexone was maintained during the six-month continuation treatment but no additional gains in the domains of…

Results of evaluating effects of fenfluramine on 21 maladaptive behaviors in 20 autistic individuals (from 9 to 30 years old) over a 9-month period using a double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled design indicated no significant reductions in maladaptive behaviors and the presence of negative side effects. (Author/DB)

The efficacy of the atypical antipsychotic risperidone was evaluated in the treatment of aberrant behavior (e.g., aggression, self-injury) in 20 individuals with developmental disabilities. The study, a double-blind crossover design, identified 50 percent of participants as responders. Naturalistic observations of five participants showed that…

The oral opiate, naltrexone, was used in a double-blind placebo-controlled study with two young profoundly mentally adults who exhibited intractable self-injurious behavior. No measurable effects on the self-injurious behavior were observed. (Author/DB)

Comparison of 16 autistic children receiving psychotropic medication with 16 similar nonmedicated children and their parents found that discriminators of the parental decision to medicate or not included: family stress; the child's speaking ability; and irritable, driven, non-goal-directed child behavior. (DB)

The study found that institutionalized mentally retarded persons were more likely to be maintained on neuroleptic drugs because of events (such as disturbing behavior, self stimulation, or physical aggression) perceived as significant and recorded by staff in clinical notes than for the reasons the drugs were prescribed initially. (Author/DB)

The efficacy of the serotonin uptake inhibitor clomipramine in treatment of self-injurious behavior (SIB) was tested using a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial in eight adults with severe/profound mental retardation. Clomipramine treatment was associated with significant improvement in the frequency of SIB, SIB intensity, and…

This report describes a database, Database Problem Behavior, which provides professionals in the area of problem behaviors and developmental disabilities with accessible information beyond their own disciplines. The current machine-readable database encompasses 885 empirical studies on the functional analysis and behavioral and pharmacological…

Assessment of 84 children diagnosed with controlled or uncontrolled complex partial or absence seizures but no documented learning or emotional disorders found no influence of seizure type on achievement test scores or behavioral ratings. A main effect was found for degree of control, with poorly controlled seizures correlating with lower reading…

This study examined the effects of methylphenidate drug therapy and differential reinforcement on the disruptive behavior and task engagement of 3 children (ages 6 through 11) with mental retardation. Results indicated that both interventions were effective for two of the children. No evidence of an additive or synergistic effects of the two…

This study with 65 individuals with mental retardation and additional seizure and/or psychiatric or behavioral disorders found that 9.2 percent experienced medication (carbamazepine) side effects, ranging from irritability to mania. More side effects were experienced by individuals with behavioral or psychiatric disorders than by those with an…

This study reports on the extent to which pharmacological and behavioral consequences were applied to behavior problems within a population of 31,000 adults in New York's developmental services system. Findings indicated that these consequences were significantly related to variables of intellectual level, residential setting type, type and extent…