LogFAQs > #947461774

https://blogs.uoregon.edu/autismhistoryproject/people/lovaas-ivar-1927-2010/

He had learned that aversive reinforcement might free children, perhaps making it possible for them to function with fewer restraints and in less restrictive environments.
Lovaas incorporated quick slaps on hands or bottoms into his research, but the quantity of this reinforcement (not to mention the possible injuries inflicted) could not be precisely controlled. In his quest for more consistent aversive techniques, Lovaas experimented with electric shocks administered through electrified floor grids and small remote control devices taped to childrens wrists. The most satisfactory technology was a hand-held instrument called the hot-shot. It was applied quickly to a childs leg, delivering a painful, one-second shock.
The experimental data persuaded Lovaas that aversives could alter negative behaviors quickly, and that was very compelling in cases of children whose destructive behaviors were directed against themselves. Isolation or electric shock may seem harsh, but these are acts of affection for children who have spent large parts of their lives hurting themselves. Parents gave Lovaas permission to use negative reinforcement and became some of his strongest supporters, especially when his work made a discernable difference in the quality of their childrens lives. Everyone understood that this approach was a last resort, to be used sparingly and only after positive reinforcement had failed.

Though this makes it sound a lot more reasonable. Regardless, as his contributions to the development of treatment programs seem to have been considerably positive, I'm not going to be too harsh if he had some questionable treatment options that were eventually phased out.