GB1347463A - Control apparatus for behaviour therapy - Google Patents

Abstract

1347463 Aversion therapy apparatus C J BIRTLES M P FELDMAN and M J MACCULLOCH 19 April 1971 [20 Nov 1969] 56836/69 Headings ASK and A5R A control circuit for aversion therapy apparatus comprises a decoding unit 5 having multiple input channels for accepting in one operation several input signals from an in- formation store 2, decoder S being connected directly by multiple channels to a logic circuit 11 and indirectly thereto via a time delay circuit 8 in order, in response to information conveyed by the input signals to control means for delivery to a patient desired conditioned and unconditioned stimuli so that he receives these stimuli in a predetermined sequence dependent upon the operation of circuits 8, 11 as prescribed by information conveyed by the input signals. As applied to the treatment of male homosexuals the conditioned stimuli are formed by projecting slides carrying images of male persons and the unconditioned stimulus is an unpleasant electric shock. Information concerning the nature of each trial to which a patient is to be subjected is read from a magnetic or paper tape by a reader 1 into a store comprising 3-element registers 2, 3 and a 2-element register 4, each element comprising a bistable circuit. Decoders 5, 6, 7 comprise diode matrices connected to time delay circuits 8, 9, 10, to logic circuits 11, 12 and to gating circuits 13, 14. A trial commences by the projection of a male slide and depending on the type of trial operation of a switch P1 by the patient causes the slide to be removed at any time of operation, or is only operative to remove the slide for a short period before expiry of a time delay T determined by information in store 2 acting on circuit 8 and commencing at the start of slide projection, or is not operative until expiry of delay time T. If the slide is not or cannot be removed by the patient before expiry of the time delay an electric shock is given to the patient When the slide is removed logic circuit 11 gives an output X which resets store 2, opens gates 13 and initiates a selected inter-trial period by means of delay circuit 9 which, after a delay corresponded to said selected period, resets stores 3, 4 and causes reader 1 to feed the instructions corresponding to the next trial into stores 2, 3, 4. During the delay provided by circuit 9 the patient may operate a switch P2 causing a slide carrying an image of a female person to be projected. A delayed input to logic circuit 12 from decoder 7 via delay circuit 10 switches off the female slide projector after a predetermined interval. In some trials the patient can recall the female slide but after the inter-trial period this slide is automatically removed and stores 3, 4 reset. A 7-bit psuedo-random binary sequence circuit, Figs. 6, 7 (not shown) is utilised to vary the site of application of the electric between the patients' left and right leg. A recording device recording the type of trial, the circuit operation, and the patients' responses may be provided. Instead of the type of trials being selected manually and encoded onto punched tape prior to the trials, on online digital computer may be used to determine the type of subsequent trials in accordance with the patients' response to preceding trials. Mechanical or electro-mechanical equivalents for the illustrated electrical components of the control apparatus may be utilised.