Abstract
Eight women with severe multiple disabilities were provided with simple mechanical switches that when depressed, activated battery-operated leisure items. Switches were provided for 1 hr during recreation when participants were sitting in wheelchairs and for 2 hr during therapeutic positioning when participants were lying on their beds or on wedges. No instructions or physical prompts were used to teach or maintain depression of the switch. Duration of switch depression in each session was recorded in 2 experimental conditions: (a) sessions when switch depression produced immediate activation of the leisure device and (b) sessions when switch depression produced no activation. Seven of eight participants showed higher rates of switch depression during conditions of immediate activation of the leisure device than in no-activation conditions. Seven of eight participants also showed similar rates of switch depression across conditions in both sitting and nonsitting positions.
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Saunders, M.D., Questad, K.A., Kedziorski, T.L. et al. Unprompted Mechanical Switch Use in Individuals with Severe Multiple Disabilities: An Evaluation of the Effects of Body Position. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities 13, 27–39 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026505332347
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026505332347