Comments on: The JRC, a prank phone call, and 2 students get shocked http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/ Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles Sat, 12 Dec 2009 06:30:43 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: JRC Staffer Charged with Rape, Assault and Battery http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/comment-page-1/#comment-547645 JRC Staffer Charged with Rape, Assault and Battery Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:14:08 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/#comment-547645 [...] protocol and staff supervision at the JRC: Back in August, a former JRC student made a prank phone call to the JRC staff; the former student pretended to be a supervisor and directed a staff member to [...] [...] protocol and staff supervision at the JRC: Back in August, a former JRC student made a prank phone call to the JRC staff; the former student pretended to be a supervisor and directed a staff member to [...]

]]> By: More Questionable Practices at the JRC http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/comment-page-1/#comment-548364 More Questionable Practices at the JRC Sat, 29 Dec 2007 18:54:01 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/#comment-548364 [...] for good or evil”? It was recently reported that, back in August, a former JRC student made a prank phone call to the JRC staff; the former student pretended to be a supervisor and directed a staff member to [...] [...] for good or evil”? It was recently reported that, back in August, a former JRC student made a prank phone call to the JRC staff; the former student pretended to be a supervisor and directed a staff member to [...]

]]> By: Autism Vox http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/comment-page-1/#comment-544217 Autism Vox Tue, 25 Dec 2007 10:25:39 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/#comment-544217 [...] would prefer that my school district, and my family, spend $228,000 (a year’s tuition at the JRC), to teach autistic [...] [...] would prefer that my school district, and my family, spend $228,000 (a year’s tuition at the JRC), to teach autistic [...]

]]> By: Another Voice http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/comment-page-1/#comment-542216 Another Voice Fri, 21 Dec 2007 01:26:51 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/#comment-542216 The fact remains that in any other setting what occurred at the JRC would have been considered a criminal act. The staff at JRC went to this teenager’s room, bound his arms and legs and proceeded to punish him over the next couple of hours with electric shock. Criminal act or therapy? The fact remains that in any other setting what occurred at the JRC would have been considered a criminal act. The staff at JRC went to this teenager’s room, bound his arms and legs and proceeded to punish him over the next couple of hours with electric shock. Criminal act or therapy?

]]> By: Kristina Chew, PhD http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/comment-page-1/#comment-546843 Kristina Chew, PhD Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:49:43 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/#comment-546843 Regan and Michelle, thank you for all of these references. I know how we have been able to reduce self-injurious behavior in my son; I have to say, it took a lot of effort, a lot of time, and a lot of coordination among home, school, medical professionals, us. Regan and Michelle, thank you for all of these references. I know how we have been able to reduce self-injurious behavior in my son; I have to say, it took a lot of effort, a lot of time, and a lot of coordination among home, school, medical professionals, us.

]]> By: Regan http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/comment-page-1/#comment-549067 Regan Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:07:39 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/#comment-549067 Also, which includes Investigation Report for The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Date: Nov. 1, 2007 http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2007/12/19/news/news000.txt The bill(s) currently in the MA legislature include H2245, SD1988 - An Act creating a special commission on behavior modification, and H109 - An Act to Ensure the Humane Treatment of Disabled Persons Fact sheets and text at http://www.arcmass.org/StateHousePolicy/Bills/tabid/135/Default.aspx Also,
which includes
Investigation Report for
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Department of Early Education and Care
Date: Nov. 1, 2007
http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2007/12/19/news/news000.txt

The bill(s) currently in the MA legislature include
H2245, SD1988 – An Act creating a special commission on behavior modification, and
H109 – An Act to Ensure the Humane Treatment of Disabled Persons
Fact sheets and text at
http://www.arcmass.org/StateHousePolicy/Bills/tabid/135/Default.aspx

]]> By: Regan http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/comment-page-1/#comment-549065 Regan Thu, 20 Dec 2007 09:52:40 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/#comment-549065 Okay, The further details of this sound pretty bad. I agree--this is unacceptable. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/12/20/staff_faulted_in_use_of_shock/?page=1 Okay,
The further details of this sound pretty bad.
I agree–this is unacceptable.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/12/20/staff_faulted_in_use_of_shock/?page=1

]]> By: Regan http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/comment-page-1/#comment-549053 Regan Thu, 20 Dec 2007 06:45:18 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/#comment-549053 My apologies Michelle, that was an error. Thanks for pointing it out. The correct journal was Research in Developmental Disabilities, and the citation is van Oorsouw, WMW.J, Israel, M.L., vonHeyn, R.E. and Duker, P.C. (2007 article in press/corrected proof). Side effects of contingent shock treatment. Research in Developmental Disabilities. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2007.08.005 For my own purposes, I noted the citation co-authored by Brian Iwata, that you cited and here is the links if anyone has interest in reading it: Williams, D.E., Kirkpatrick-Sanchez, S., Iwata, B.A. ( 1993). A comparison of shock intensity in the treatment of longstanding and severe self-injurious behavior. Research in Developmental Disabilities. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0891-4222(93)90031-E As a sidebar to the Vondran and Lerman paper on the status of punishment, I thought that Rob Horner's thoughts might be apt because of his stance of positive behavioral support: Horner, R.E. (2002 )On the status of knowledge for using punishment: A Commentary. JABA, 35(4). 465-467.http://dx.doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2002.35-465. The question that I still return to, is what is the alternative or next step proposed? This is a sincere question, esp. in view that a practical equivalent speaking to replacement, granted more socially acceptable and socially validated and not because I have a better thesis myself. I am not looking for a behavior-analytic solution--anything from any field, psychology, medicine would apply. Michelle, as you are well acquainted with the literature and have first hand research experience--what would you say from your study and work, the ethical and effective equivalent would be? Putting it in brass tacks--if you were in the position of being able first hand to help a person with an already long established history (from any source) of severe SIB, agression or self-rumination, what would you do? My apologies Michelle, that was an error. Thanks for pointing it out.
The correct journal was Research in Developmental Disabilities, and the citation is
van Oorsouw, WMW.J, Israel, M.L., vonHeyn, R.E. and Duker, P.C. (2007 article in press/corrected proof). Side effects of contingent shock treatment. Research in Developmental Disabilities.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2007.08.005

For my own purposes, I noted the citation co-authored by Brian Iwata, that you cited and here is the links if anyone has interest in reading it:
Williams, D.E., Kirkpatrick-Sanchez, S., Iwata, B.A. ( 1993). A comparison of shock intensity in the treatment of longstanding and severe self-injurious behavior. Research in Developmental Disabilities.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0891-4222(93)90031-E

As a sidebar to the Vondran and Lerman paper on the status of punishment, I thought that Rob Horner’s thoughts might be apt because of his stance of positive behavioral support:
Horner, R.E. (2002 )On the status of knowledge for using punishment: A Commentary. JABA, 35(4). 465-467.http://dx.doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2002.35-465.

The question that I still return to, is what is the alternative or next step proposed? This is a sincere question, esp. in view that a practical equivalent speaking to replacement, granted more socially acceptable and socially validated and not because I have a better thesis myself. I am not looking for a behavior-analytic solution–anything from any field, psychology, medicine would apply.
Michelle, as you are well acquainted with the literature and have first hand research experience–what would you say from your study and work, the ethical and effective equivalent would be? Putting it in brass tacks–if you were in the position of being able first hand to help a person with an already long established history (from any source) of severe SIB, agression or self-rumination, what would you do?

]]> By: Michelle Dawson http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/comment-page-1/#comment-539761 Michelle Dawson Thu, 20 Dec 2007 05:52:30 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/#comment-539761 In response to Regan, Ooursowu et al. (in press) is not epublished in JADD, which in turn is not (nor has ever been) edited by a behaviour analyst. Re Bruce Iwata, see 1993 paper, "A comparison of shock intensity in the treatment of longstanding and severe self-injurious behavior," of which he is senior author. This study was published more than a decade after the availability of functional analyses of behaviour. See also Lerman et al. (1997), Thomson et al. (1999)--Dr Iwata is in the authorship of both these papers (he is also, along with Drs Lovaas and Foxx, in the authorship of Van Houten et al., 1988). Also see the use of Dr Iwata's work to justify the necessity of aversive procedures, including electric shock, in Cooper et al. (2007; as I wrote above, this is the most recent edition of the major ABA textbook). In response to Regan, Ooursowu et al. (in press) is not epublished in JADD, which in turn is not (nor has ever been) edited by a behaviour analyst.

Re Bruce Iwata, see 1993 paper, “A comparison of shock intensity in the treatment of longstanding and severe self-injurious behavior,” of which he is senior author. This study was published more than a decade after the availability of functional analyses of behaviour.

See also Lerman et al. (1997), Thomson et al. (1999)–Dr Iwata is in the authorship of both these papers (he is also, along with Drs Lovaas and Foxx, in the authorship of Van Houten et al., 1988). Also see the use of Dr Iwata’s work to justify the necessity of aversive procedures, including electric shock, in Cooper et al. (2007; as I wrote above, this is the most recent edition of the major ABA textbook).

]]> By: Regan http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/comment-page-1/#comment-539747 Regan Thu, 20 Dec 2007 05:02:50 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-jrc-a-prank-phone-call-and-2-students-get-shocked/#comment-539747 I agree that the system screwed up badly and that the prank exposed a major hole in self-monitoring and accountability. I might also suggest that the prankster has some responsibility in the unnecessary delivery of shock to these persons. The "day" could be hypothesized as rhetorical and expanded or changed as practical. The questions still remains what programs are being specified and what methods? Positive behavioral support, contingency management, a cognitive therapy, medication...? Is anyone familiar with the court cases and why they continue to prevail in that format, under the same directorship and continue to exist despite 20+ years of litigation and legislation in MA? (I believe that MA has 3 current bills in progress to increase oversight and professional competency, however I do not recall that any of them addressed the question of the GED and JRC specifically). I agree that the system screwed up badly and that the prank exposed a major hole in self-monitoring and accountability. I might also suggest that the prankster has some responsibility in the unnecessary delivery of shock to these persons.

The “day” could be hypothesized as rhetorical and expanded or changed as practical. The questions still remains what programs are being specified and what methods? Positive behavioral support, contingency management, a cognitive therapy, medication…?

Is anyone familiar with the court cases and why they continue to prevail in that format, under the same directorship and continue to exist despite 20+ years of litigation and legislation in MA?
(I believe that MA has 3 current bills in progress to increase oversight and professional competency, however I do not recall that any of them addressed the question of the GED and JRC specifically).

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