Contingency management programs for modifying aggression in children are strong methods of short-term behavior change in treatment settings but are less than successful when transferred to other settings. Future research should compare cognitive with noncognitive behavioral programs and test the effectiveness of cognitive and noncognitive…

The experiment assessed, within a multiple baseline design, the possibility of improving the learning of three autistic children (4 to 7 years old) by changing arbitrary response-reinforcer relationships so that the target behaviors became functional (i.e., a direct part of the response chain required for the child to procure the reinforcer).…

This paper describes a dentist-implemented intervention in which brief escape from dental treatment (contingent on brief periods of cooperative behavior) was provided to manage disruptive child behavior during restorative dental treatment with four children, aged three to seven years. The procedure required no more time than traditional management…

Headaches are quite common in children and adolescents, and they appear to persist into adulthood in a sizable number of individuals. Assessment approaches (interview, pain diaries, and general and specific questionnaires) and behavioral treatment interventions (contingency management, relaxation, biofeedback, and cognitive behavior therapy) are…

Group contingencies have the advantages of encouraging individual students to collectively feel responsible for appropriate and inappropriate classroom behaviors and have shown effectiveness in improving students' behavior. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a random dependent group contingency on the on-task behaviors of…

The newsletter describes the development of a therapeutic recreation program for the severely and profoundly retarded using a recreational programing hierarchy approach. Sections address the following areas: identifying the habits and habit systems of the retarded individual as they relate to the interactional process of the family system,…

The study found no relationship between improved social behavior in a group of juveniles residing at a county shelter care facility and decreased frequency and duration of disruptions above 85 decibels. Subjects did reduce noise levels when stereo listening was made contingent on reduced noise. (Author/DB)

An individual free token/response cost system was used to decrease the stuttering of an elementary-level student. Reasons for the effectiveness of this technique may include its provision of immediate feedback, use of visual cues, and simple recordkeeping. (Author/CL)

A comparison of the effects of methylphenidate (Ritalin) and response cost in reducing the offtask behavior of two boys (7 and 8 years old) with attentional deficit disorders and hyperactivity revealed that response cost (with free time as the reinforcer) was superior to Ritalin in increasing ontask behavior and improving academic performance.…

Two studies evaluated the use of protective equipment in treating self injurious behavior (SIB) exhibited by three retarded adolescents. Results suggested that contingent protective equipment and differential reinforcement may be effective in reducing chronic self injury. (Author)

This study evaluated the effectiveness of high probability requests and time-out as treatments for noncompliance which appeared to be maintained by contingent attention in two developmentally normal children. The introduction of high-probability requests increased compliance for one child but not the other. Time-out was effective with both…

Two students with severe disabilities were alternately presented with interspersed high-compliance requests and social comments as antecedents to low-compliance requests. Analysis found similar positive effects on compliance for interspersed requests and social comments. The effectiveness of social comments was related to the time interval between…

The authors utilized Applied Behavior Analysis to examine the effects of using tokens with response cost (the Checkbook Management System) on decreasing the inappropriate speaking-out behaviors of a 14-year-old special education student. After functional behavior analysis indicated that the most likely function of the behavior was attention…

The manual provides information on practical ways for managing the behavior of emotionally disturbed and autistic children. The importance of routine and structure as well as of caring is emphasized in a chapter on building an atmosphere for learning. Assessment is seen to begin with teachers evaluating their own attitudes about behavior and then…

The paper reviews 34 behavioral treatment studies (1967-1983) examining reduction of aggressive behavior in mentally retarded people. Research reviewed was limited to treatment of physically aggressive responses such as hits, kicks, bites, chokes, scratches, and throwing objects by persons designated as mentally retarded. Among results reported…