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Holding Therapy and Autism Ranking: Mildly Hazardous Insufficient/Mixed evidence

Risks and Safety

Hazards

According to Boris (2003),

“There were at least two deaths in the USA in 2002 attributed to interventions designed to address the specific 'attachment problems' of children. The forensic details suggest that the treatments employed in these cases were somewhat different; however, in both instances forcible restraint (e.g., a form of holding therapy) was used in an effort to “promote re-attachment. “

According to Simpson et al (2005),

'Any intervention that involves force is potentially physically and psychologically harmful. Numerous critics of Holding Time have made many arguments against its use. These arguments include

1) disturbingly, children who experience holding therapy may learn to feign attachment behavior;

2) forced holding may potentially cause extreme discomfort when used with children who have tactile defensiveness, hypersensitivity, and /or difficulty making and maintaining eye contact;

3) forced holding at the hand of an adult that a child loves and trusts may be psychologically damaging rather than beneficial;

4) parents who used holding therapy may have the unrealistic hope that their child can be cured of autism or another disorders, which may have devastating effects on the family if their efforts prove to be futile.'

Contraindications

The potential hazards listed above make holding therapy contraindicated (something which makes a particular treatment or procedure potentially inadvisable) for anyone including autistic people.

Updated
17 Jun 2022
Last Review
01 Oct 2016
Next Review
01 Feb 2023