A brief biographical sketch of Burrhus Frederick Skinner is offered, followed by a review of his impact on education and psychology. His research in radical behaviorism, his theoretical contributions, development of programed instruction techniques, token economies, and numerous inventions by himself and his proteges are summarized. (PB)

Three mothers of children (ages 4-9) who had disabilities and exhibited serious behavior management problems were taught child management techniques and planned activities techniques, using in-home coaching and written prompts for use in generalization settings. Results suggested that such training is effective but needs to be individualized.…

Assertive discipline can help teachers develop more consistent and effective communication strategies for influencing student behavior. Over a nine-week period, two teachers using assertive discipline reduced the off-task and disruptive behavior of a male kindergarten student by defining behavioral limits and providing positive and negative…

Three experiments were conducted with two participants with mental retardation that displayed property destruction and stereotypy. The experiments assessed the function of the responses, determined their relationship, and developed a treatment to reduce property destruction. Response blocking reduced property destruction (and attempts), prevented…

A brief negative-reinforcement assessment was conducted with five children (ages 4 to 14) with developmental disabilities with severe destructive behavior. Children were trained to engage in an escape response and were presented with a variety of stimuli. For each child, several stimuli were identified that may serve as effective negative…

A study investigated the validity of the Questions about Behavioral Function, a checklist designed to assess antecedent behavior, using a sample of 398 persons with mental retardation and self-injurious behavior, aggression, or stereotypies. The checklist was used successfully to derive clear behavioral functions across all three target behaviors.…

Describes meta-analysis of 99 studies that used interventions to decrease disruptive classroom behavior in public education settings. Overall, results indicate interventions yield comparable results to other studies investigating effectiveness of psychotherapy. Findings show that efficacious treatments used in public school settings decrease…

In this preliminary study, three parents who requested outpatient services for treatment of developmentally disabled children's problem behavior were taught to implement multiple treatment components. Therapists employed the most cost-efficient method first (i.e., written and verbal instructions) to teach prescribed behavior management strategies.…

Multiple sleep problems of a 2-year-old girl improved following treatment with a faded bedtime with response cost procedure. If she fell asleep within 15 minutes of the scheduled bedtime, her bedtime the following night was 30 minutes earlier; however, if she did not fall asleep it was 30 minutes later. (Author/CR)

This evaluative review describes the history of applied behavior analysis in the area of developmental disability and its strengths and weaknesses. Emphasis is placed on the fact that behavior analysis can continue to provide valuable insights into the education and treatment of people with mental retardation. (Author/CR)

A study examined the relationship between neutralizing routines and problem behavior in three adolescents with severe intellectual disabilities. Functional analyses found the problem behaviors were motivated by either escape or tangible items. Results found that neutralizing routines were effective in reducing self-injurious behavior and…

Functional assessments and assessment-based interventions were conducted with an 8-year-old boy with disabilities and severe problem behavior in the context of two family routines: using the home bathroom and dining in a fast-food restaurant. A multiple baseline design demonstrated the effectiveness of the intervention package as implemented by…

Schools are confronted with students who present serious behavior problems that were once only seen in secure settings. In order to be effective with these students, staff members need to acquire skills for managing crises. Article suggests that staff members put students first; use many tools for cultivating strengths; and learn from young…

Evaluates a short-term residential program utilizing a behavior modification program in an outpatient unit for adolescents with mostly conduct problems. Evaluation indicated predictors of outcome, including: age, gender, diagnosis, length of stay, father's presence, other treatments received, and presence of learning problems. Factors such as…

Describes research that focused on the design of an effective, economical, and easily implemented treatment for disruptive classroom behavior in both general and special education students. Multi-component treatment options included mystery motivators, token economy with response cost, and antecedent strategies delivered within a group contingency…