The elimination of chronic cough by response suppression shaping

Abstract

The study presents a case in which aversion therapy was successfully used to eliminate a chronic cough in a 15-yr-old boy. Treatment included electric shock aversion therapy employing a response suppression shaping paradigm to remove the cough, and ancillary family treatment to alter the reinforcement pattern which maintained the inappropriate behavior. The S has been free of cough for 1$\text{1}\text{2}$ yr since treatment. Significant aspects of the case relating to the use of aversion techniques are discussed.