Results of a functional analysis indicted that the hand mouthing of a woman with profound mental retardation was maintained by multiple sources of control (sensory stimulation and access to a leisure item). Hand mouthing, though maintained by automatic reinforcement, was also susceptible to social contingencies when exposed to them during…

A naturalistic assessment of self-injurious behavior in an 11-year-old boy with multiple disabilities, including severe mental retardation, found that the boy's self-injury was occasioned by low attention and low stimulation and maintained by tangible and social reinforcement. Naturalistic assessment effectively guided the selection of behavioral…

This paper discusses how to set up and implement a token economy system for students with behavior disorders in a classroom setting. The available literature is reviewed, and it is concluded that token economies have been proven effective in improving behavior among students with social and academic deficits. (Author/PB)

A community-based social-learning program that combined behavior modification with cognitive intervention was used to help an adult male with a history of aggressive, antisocial behavior develop self-management skills. Results showed a significant decline in physical and nonphysical aggression, allowing the man to maintain competitive employment…

This paper summarizes basic research on response effort in diverse applied areas including deceleration of aberrant behavior, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, oral habits, littering, and problem solving. The paper concludes that response effort as an independent variable has potent effects, and research exploring the applied benefits of…

Principals should consider redirecting school counselors' responsibilities to include directing safe-school teams; establishing networks to identify at-risk students and violent behavior signs; developing conflict-resolution activities; assessing and counseling misbehaving students; devising crisis- management plans; and helping staff predict and…

An analysis of 396 articles (that included 706 participants) on the treatment of self-injurious behavior found the use of reinforcement-based interventions has increased during the past decade, whereas the use of punishment-based interventions has decreased slightly; both of these trends coincide with an increase in the use of functional…

A function-based behavioral treatment package was developed for an 18-year-old male with mild mental retardation in a specialized inpatient unit for treatment of severe destructive behaviors associated with school refusal behavior. Treatment goals were achieved relatively quickly and follow-up data indicated treatment effects were durable.…

In many middle schools, poor student lunchtime behaviour is an ongoing problem. Such behaviour can have a detrimental effect on a school's climate and culture, which can in turn degrade the quality of learning that occurs in the classroom. As a result, improving students' lunchtime behaviour should be a priority for staff. One solution is to make…

We conducted functional analyses of disruptive behavior in a classroom setting for two students of typical intelligence with emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD) using the classroom teacher to implement functional analysis conditions. The functional analyses suggested that both participants' disruptive behavior was maintained by escape from task…

The purpose of this study was to examine a positive behavior support plan implemented in a correctional facility for male juveniles to determine its effectiveness in changing behavior. The study was precipitated by teachers' concern with the punishment orientation of the facility and the need to do Functional Behavior Assessment for students'…

Self-monitoring is used to increase on-task behavior of students by encouraging them to monitor their own behavior (Hallahan, Lloyd, & Stoller, 1982). According to Daly and Ranalli (2003), there are many benefits of self-monitoring: (1) It is an effective tool for changing behavior; (2) It promotes generalization of the appropriate behavior to…

As we endeavor to assist people with autism and other serious disabilities increase their capacity to function appropriately and successfully in the everyday environments of the real world, we generally focus on the skills and behaviors of the person himself. While this is important, another essential component of the process is commonly…

Several methods for evaluating the influence of antecedents on challenging behaviour have been described in the literature, however the portability of these methods within the classroom has been questionable. The purpose of this paper will be to provide a practical understanding of evidence-based practices used in the assessment and management of…

This study prospectively follows 135 children 5-12 years of age with sexual behavior problems from a randomized trial comparing a 12-session group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with group play therapy and follows 156 general clinic children with nonsexual behavior problems. Ten-year follow-up data on future juvenile and adult arrests and…