Abstract

Antipsychotic medications are commonly used to address destructive behaviors in people with developmental disabilities. Contingent skin shock is less commonly employed. Here, the risks and the benefits of antipsychotic medications and contingent skin shock are enumerated and compared. First, the major untoward effects of antipsychotic medications and contingent skin shock are summarized. Second, an efficacy analysis was conducted consisting of the following components: a brief description of the conclusions of a 1991 review of antipsychotic medications; a complete analysis of the effect of first generation and second generation antipsychotics on the irritability subscale of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist; a complete analysis of first generation and second generation antipsychotics on the Clinical Global Impression – Improvement Scale; a complete analysis of the effect of first generation antipsychotics, second generation antipsychotics, and contingent skin shock on destructive behavior frequency. The results of the analysis suggest that contingent skin shock is by far the most effective procedure and has the most favorable side effect profile.