Controversial Punishment Procedures

In a prior assignment, you considered some “controversial treatments.” Perhaps there is no more controversial treatment than the use of highly aversive punishment procedures for children and adolescents, especially those with disabilities. Some behavior analysts strongly oppose the use of aversive punishment procedures . Other behavior analysts weigh the short-term discomfort to the client associated with such procedures against the potentially long-term relief from pain and risk to the client that may occur if dangerous behaviors are not effectively decreased or stopped so that more appropriate skills can be taught.

Conduct a search for information on aversive procedures being used with children and adolescents. Cite the source and describe the treatment. Prepare 3–4 pro statements that might be given to support the use of the treatment. Also, prepare 3–4 con statements that might be given to oppose the treatment. Finally, give your own opinion. Discuss relevant ethical compliance code elements that you have learned in this course thus far. Submit this assignment for grading and feedback from your instructor.

Writing Requirements

To achieve a successful project experience and outcome for your Controversial Treatments paper, you are expected to meet the following requirements:

• Written communication:
  • Prepare an outline of your key points and related comments before constructing your document.
  • Check grammar and spelling using your software’s editing tools.
  • Practice the correct use of the ABA terminology that you have learned, where appropriate.
  • Edit carefully to remove out-of-place or extraneous content. The final product should clearly communicate your points in a concise and efficient manner. This is an important skill to practice for becoming an effective behavior analyst. Remember that others (for example, teachers, parents, caretakers, and managers) often will have only a few precious minutes or seconds to hear or read your comments.
• Paper expectations:
  • Write a paper of no less than 750 words and no more than 1,000 words of content, excluding the cover page and references.
  • Use double spacing with one-inch margins.
  • Use Times New Roman, 12-point font. Use underlining, italics, and bold highlights sparingly.
• List of references: Include at least one reference from a professional journal or text, Web site, or other resource. In some cases, you will be directed to provide additional references or information.
• APA format: Format the paper (including references according to APA (6th edition) style and formatting guidelines.