Abstract
For the purposes of this discussion, restraint is defined as physically holding or securing an individual, either for a brief time period to interrupt severe problem behavior or for an extended period of time using physical holds or mechanical devices to prevent dangerous behavior (Vollmer et al., The Behavior Analyst, 34:103–110, 2011). Seclusion is defined as isolating an individual from others to interrupt problem behavior that places others at risk of harm (Vollmer et al.). Historically, restraint and seclusion were used as methods to either protect individuals from harming themselves or others, or in some cases to punish harmful behavior (Metzner et al., Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online, 35, 417–425, 2007). In more recent times, restraint and seclusion are usually viewed primarily as protective measures designed to keep an individual from doing harm to self or others. In this chapter we will provide some historical perspective on the use of restraint and seclusion, sample some position statements from various professional organizations that seem to confirm this ethical stance, and examine some state regulations. Finally, we will outline best practices as gleaned from the literature.
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Vollmer, T.R., Deshais, M.A., Pizarro, E.M. (2019). Restraint and Seclusion. In: Matson, J.L. (eds) Handbook of Intellectual Disabilities. Autism and Child Psychopathology Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20843-1_16
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