The author describes how political and social whims can have disastrous effects on existing, effective programs for developmentally disabled, institutionalized persons, as illustrated in cutoffs for funding of a behavior modification team which used parent assistants as volunteers. (CL)

A mobile interdisciplinary consultation and training team trained residential staff in behavior modification and program development. Involvement of top and middle administration as well as of direct care staff was critical to program success. Training emphasized active and direct methods, emphasized maintenance, and confronted political/social…

A program is described in which institutional staff were successfully trained to use behavioral principles with severely retarded aggressive adults. Group training (self-care instruction, token economy, social skills and activity programing) as well as individualized training are described along with such organizational aspects as team structure…

Use of primarily reinforcement-based behavioral procedures decreased aggressive pinching in a 10-year-old severely retarded female to near-zero levels. Procedures included differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO), DRO plus timeout, DRO plus response prevention, and differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior. Results were…