Discussion of psychological disorder in adolescents and adults with Asperger syndrome suggests that these individuals commonly develop a psychological disorder secondary to Asperger syndrome including affective disorders, anxiety-related disorders, and conduct disorders. Treatment usually involves a combination of psychoeducation, social change,…

Counteraggression is discussed as a biological function or survival instinct that escalates violence in schools. Expands Fritz Redl's explanation of underlying reasons why staff dealing with delinquent youth become counteraggressive. Preventing or controlling counteraggressive behavior through analysis of the reasons behind the reaction can help…

Debates the question of suicide as a defensible choice, particularly for the terminally ill, examining the relevance of such issues as the mortality, rationality, and dynamics of the suicidal act, and the legitimacy of physician-assisted suicide. Contrasting perspectives are articulated by two prominent suicidologists as a spur to the reader's…

A survey of 55 Louisiana members of the American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) indicated disagreement with an AAMR position statement condemning inhumane forms of aversive therapy. AAMR is urged to reconsider its position concerning the scope of aversive therapy, need for further research, and use of aversive therapy with some…

This commentary uses self-injurious behavior to illustrate the approach of the functional analysis of behavior as a guide to rational treatment strategies for individuals with autism, and to show that the characteristics of the clinical presentations can provide clues for underlying mechanisms that can be used for research and treatment. (Contains…

This review considers the prevalence and nature of physically aggressive behaviors by people with mental retardation and describes possible causal factors. The present status of both behavioral and pharmacological interventions for aggression are assessed, and the importance of devising reactive management plans for aggressive behaviors is…

This paper discusses the assessment of psychiatric and behavior disorders occurring in people with developmental disorders and the problems arising when such behavior results in offenses against the law. The paper argues that a multidisciplinary approach is needed in such cases, given the complex interaction among possible brain pathology,…

Examines the long-term sequelae of childhood sexual abuse in six areas: posttraumatic stress, cognitive distortions, altered emotionality, disturbed relatedness, avoidance, and impaired self-reference. Concludes that childhood sexual abuse has a variety of long-term impacts and that the measurement strategies used to demonstrate these sequelae…

This review of instruments for assessing psychopathology and behavior problems in people with mental retardation characterizes evaluation tools in such terms as age groups encompassed, levels of mental retardation, number of domains, and types of raters used. The structure of maladaptive behavior is described, and several instruments are…

Key elements of a continuum of services for individuals with autism and other severe behavior disorders are described, focusing on development of a strong central organization; funding; staff recruitment, training, supervision, and evaluation; program evaluation; outreach parent training; home-based early intervention; vocational training;…

This commentary discusses study results that indicate the nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) clomipramine is more efficacious than the relatively selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor desipramine and placebo in treating repetitive or ritualized behaviors in children with autism. The need for concurrent genetic and biochemical…

The parents of a young man with severe mental retardation and challenging behaviors comment on the use of punishment, arguing that the effectiveness of punishment cannot be consistently evaluated without placing their son in a restrictive setting and incurring subsequent uncertainty about generalizing the procedures back into the community…

This article reviews the psychopharmacological treatment of aggression, mood disturbances, and self-injurious behavior in persons with autistic disorder. It highlights the use of dopaminergic drugs, serotonergic drugs, opioidergic drugs, adrenergic drugs, thymoleptic drugs, and glutamatergic drugs for their potential utility in treating…

This response to a critique (EC 605 541) of the authors' case study, supporting the effectiveness of positive-oriented programing approaches with persons with mental retardation, offers follow-up information on the individual involved, including his complete medication history, and defends the view that the self-determination supported by their…

This article outlines problems associated with large mental hospitals, describes how knowledge gained from these problems can be used to create alternative treatment programs, and introduces the papers in this special issue on community-based treatment programs for individuals with developmental disabilities. (JDD)