The paper reports on a program to change behaviors of six blind multihandicapped adolescents with severe behavior disorders at the New York Institute for the Education of the Blind. Examples are drawn of the program's effects on a 17 year old male, Joe. Program principles include reduction of stressful situations for the students, expansion of…

The author discusses the legal and administrative concerns, best professional practices concerns, and political concerns related to the use of physical restraint and time out procedures with seriously behaviorally disordered children. Among the points made are that the courts may consider such approaches to be cruel and unusual; that direct…

Observable behavior change is a more useful goal in counseling than self-acceptance or self-understanding. Goals should be stated as specific behavior changes desired by each client, compatible with the counselor's values, and externally observable. Behavioral goals would result in: (a) a clearer anticipation of what counseling could accomplish,…

This review of the research literature focuses on processes that Cautela (1972a) has called covert conditioning and Mahoney, Thoresen, and Danaher (1972) have called covert behavior modification. Both of these terms refer to processes for changing behavior through imaginal responses. Two general strategies have been employed. One has been to…

A game designed to teach some of the skills used in behavior modification with slow learners was evaluated. The game, called "Modifying," was developed to increase the range of experience for students preparing to be special education teachers. A randomized, posttest-only design was employed. The design incorporated three treatments:…

Clients (N=16) were randomly assigned to two groups receiving either individual or group treatment. Treatment consisted of relaxation training followed by viewing 45 videotaped vignettes depicting graduated sexual behaviors. Improvement remained stable through a one-year follow-up. Control clients showed no improvement and trends toward…

Reports on the analysis of 27 behavior modification programs for delinquents. Findings reveal that a low percentage of the programs have followup mechanisms and that the behavior which is modified is often not that which caused the problem. (CP)

Assessed attributional style of psychoanalysts, behavior therapists, and nontherapists. Results indicated that the clinical task of generating explanations for problematic behavior appeared to be handled differently by psychoanalysts and behavior therapists. Selection of a therapist may be an important factor in determining inferred etiology and…

Home contingencies (allowance and curfews) based on daily reports of the academic and conduct performance of four 16-year-old disruptive students increased appropriate behavior in six areas. The least costly and simplest form of feedback--the good day card--showed modest treatment advantages over more complex methods and was preferred by parents.…

A social behavior chaining technique was used to train three autistic students (ages 10-11) to respond differentially to requested and nonrequested objects. Results suggested control of the "give me" response by the requested object, a characteristic of a mand. Results are discussed in terms of the training technique to establish…

Examined the long-term outcome of broad-spectrum behavioral treatment for alcoholism and the relative effects of training controlled drinking skills. Showed no significant difference between groups on any dependent measure at the 5-6 year follow-up point. Analyzes the stability of drinking patterns and presents predictors of outcome at 5-6 years.…

To determine whether classroom meetings, as a form of group counseling, could be used to improve the behaviors and self-concepts of fourth-grade students, 45 experimental group students and 45 control group students participated in 20 weeks of meetings. Results indicated improvements in behavior but not in self-concept. (BL)

Assessed the impact of relaxation response on acting out behavior and self-concept of 21 elementary school students. Results indicated that students who practiced the relaxation response improved their ability to control acting out behavior and improved their self concepts when compared with students in the behavior charting control group.…

This study focused on identifying and classifying misbehaviors of mainstreamed students in vocational classrooms and laboratories. It also identified control techniques used by vocational teachers to resolve problems created by these misbehaviors. (Author/CH)