THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NALTREXONE IN TREATING TASK ATTENDING, AGGRESSION, SELF-INJURY, AND STEREOTYPIC MANNERISMS OF 6 YOUNG MALES WITH AUTISM OR PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS

An 8-week trial of 2 mg/kg/day of naltrexone (Trexan, now called ReVia ) was conducted with four males with autism and two males with pervasi ve developmental disorders. Two dependent measures were employed: (a) direct behavioral measurement conducted by blind observers using video tape recordings of periodic learning task sessions, and (b) performanc e measures of the learning activity Direct behavior measures revealed one participant's attending-to-task improved while receiving naltrexon e. However two of the participants' rates of self-injury increased, as did one of those participant's rate of aggression. Significant improv ement was observed on performance measures of the learning task; howev er the improved performance continued during the non-drug return to ba seline for the three participants who experienced this additional cond ition. Discussion is provided relating these findings to previously pu blished results.