The clinical application of deep touch pressure with a man with autism presenting with severe anxiety and challenging behaviour

Accessible summary • Many people who show challenging behaviour continue to be tranquilised and physically restrained. • There have been claims that deep pressure touch can be of beneficial in reducing agitation and distress, particularly in people with autism spectrum disorders. • Deep pressure touch is demonstrated to have a beneficial effect on extreme agitation, including lowering increased heart rate and respiration, as well as reducing the need for physical restraint and medication • This paper describes a ‘‘low tech’’ approach to the systematic use of deep pressure touch that can be readily applied in many settings Summary Although there have been claims of significant therapeutic benefits arising from the use of deep touch pressure techniques with children with autistic spectrum disorders, to date there have been few empirical investigations of its use with adults with autistic spectrum disorders and anxiety in clinical practice. This paper reports on the systematic use of deep touch pressure within a structured programme for a man with autism who was presenting with severe challenging behaviour. The programme led to significant reductions in the use of both physical restraint and medication, as well as appropriate physiological changes, with a parallel increase in the person's quality of life. The implications of this approach are discussed with regard to both theory and practice with the aim of increasing the provision of more appropriate forms of support for people who present with challenging behaviour.