Fingernail biting is a habit that is developed by numerous people, especially children and teenagers. Many clinicians believe that the habit of fingernail biting stems from nervousness or anxiety. Students, especially students with disabilities, can be easily distracted from instruction, can become the target of negative peer attention, and can…

Significant shifts or discontinuities in symptom course can mark points of transition and reveal important change processes. The authors investigated 2 patterns of change in depression--the rapid early response and a transient period of apparent worsening that the authors call a depression spike. Participants were 29 patients diagnosed with major…

Factors that influence choice between qualitatively different reinforcers (e.g., a food item or a break from work) are important to consider when arranging treatments for problem behavior. Previous findings indicate that children who engage in problem behavior maintained by escape from demands may choose a food item over the functional reinforcer…

This study examined the effectiveness of Sensory Stories on "circle time" behaviors in preschool children with autism. This single-system ABA design with a convenience sample of four participants consisted of one week for each A phase and two weeks for the B phase. The intervention phase (B) consisted of reading a Sensory Story from one…

This article presents the art therapist's engagement in responsive art making as an effective approach in working with an adolescent survivor of developmental trauma. Through a case study illustration, the art therapist's response art was effective in two main areas. First, in-session response art helped facilitate treatment goals in accordance…

Currently behavior modification, stimulant medication, and combined treatments are supported as evidence-based interventions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in classroom settings. However, there has been little study of the relative effects of these two modalities and their combination in classrooms. Using a within-subject design, the…

This paper describes an adaptation of behavioral activation (BA) for the early intervention of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among physically injured survivors of traumatic injury, and presents pilot data on a small randomized effectiveness trial (N = 8). The application of BA to PTSD is based on the theory that increases in…

In this study, the authors examined the relationship between engagement in social interaction with peers and stereotypic behavior. Three children with autism with relatively high rates of stereotypic behavior and low rates of social engagement with peers participated in the study. Two typically developing peers learned to direct social initiations…

Psychosocial treatments for chronic pain are effective. There is a need, however, to understand the processes involved in determining how these treatments contribute to behavior change. Control and acceptance strategies represent two potentially important processes involved in treatment, although they differ significantly in approach. Results from…

Background: A range of factors have been suggested as determinants of staff behaviour in the context of working with people with challenging behaviour. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a typical challenging behaviour staff training course had an effect on staff feelings of efficacy, their negative emotional reactions to…

A health contract is a technique used by health professionals to help clients achieve a health goal. This article describes a course, "Changing Health Behaviors," in which a health contract strategy is taught and practiced with older adults. The health contract can also be included as a smaller educational component within a gerontology course…

Within the context of behavioral economics, the ratio of response requirements to reinforcer magnitude is called "unit price." In this investigation, we yoked increases in reinforcer magnitude with increases in intervals of differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) to thin DRO intervals to a terminal value. (Contains 1 figure.)

This investigation examined the preliminary efficacy of an integrated cognitive-behavioral parent-training protocol for six families of separation-anxious children (7 to 10 years of age) using a multiple baseline design across participants. Although families were assessed on child, parent, and clinician ratings at pre- and post-treatment as well…

This paper reviews the literature regarding the treatment of phobic avoidance in individuals with intellectual disabilities. Criteria for classifying interventions as empirically supported, developed by the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 12 Task Force on Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures, were used. For…

Mood and anxiety disorders in youth are disabling, distressing, and prevalent. Furthermore, depression and anxiety frequently co-exist, may share several etiological factors, and respond to similar interventions. In this paper, we report preliminary results from a treatment adaptation project designed to condense existing cognitive behavioral…