The Use of an Aversive Smell to Eliminate Autistic Self-Stimulatory Behavior

Abstract

Commercially available smelling salts were used to provide an aversive smell which was compared with a time-out procedure in the modification of self-stimulation in an autistic child. The aversive smell was much more effective that time out whether applied on an FR 1 or VR 3 schedule. The FR 1 schedule of the aversive smell was also associated with a marked decline in self-stimulation in non-experimental environments. The effectiveness, ease of application, and acceptability of smellin salts all indicate the value of continued research with this stimulus in the elimination of self-stimulatory and other autistic responses.