This article describes a teacher preparation program in health education that provides educators with the skills that will enable them to make positive changes in the attitudes, values, and behaviors of their students. (MM)

The effects of two levels of exercise (walking versus jogging) in suppressing the self-stimulatory behavior during academic programming of a 5-year-old boy with autism were examined. Decreased physical self-stimulation and "out of seat" behavior were found only for the jogging condition. Sharp reductions in these behaviors did not return…

Describes the effect of peer influence, a more subtle form of peer pressure, on adolescent behavior. Suggests three ways principals can intervene to make peer influence a positive force in the school: Provide positive information, involve all students, and group students differently. (PKP)

Discusses the legal and educational requirements for functional behavioral assessment (FBAs) and behavioral intervention plans (BIPs) for special-education students. (Contains 45 references.)(PKP)

An incentive scheme to reward positive health behaviors (adherence to antituberculosis drug regimens) was tested with 88 active and 117 preventive patients randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Preventive patients who received incentives were significantly more likely to continue care and had higher adherence levels. Actives showed…

Randomly assigned 1,218 smokers to cells in 4 (nicotine gum delivered ad lib, fixed regimen nicotine gum, placebo gum, no gum) x 3 (self-selected relapse prevention modules, randomly administered modules, no modules) design. Subjects receiving nicotine gum were more likely to be abstinent at 2- and 6-month followups. Fixed regimen accounted for…

A nonaversive technique was used to teach a severely handicapped woman to decrease her refusals. The technique employed precision teaching via precise daily measurement strategies, environmental analysis, and a focus on building appropriate behavior. (JDD)

In response to James Mulick (EC 232 032), this paper states that a resolution of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps calling for termination of the use of aversive procedures is appropriately ideologically based as long as continued behavioral research into positive means of controlling behavior is not discouraged. (DB)

The study investigated the effects of training two learning and behavior disordered elementary students to ignore the inappropriate behavior and to reinforce the appropriate behavior of three peers who were also learning and behavior disordered. Results indicated the students were able to utilize extinction and reinforcement procedures…

The major themes of three books based on behaviorist psychology are examined critically, noting that behavior modification has significant limitations. Four of these limitations are identified and briefly discussed. Teachers must realize that discipline approaches must increase the transfer value of behavior learned in school and foster…

Literature is reviewed documenting the relationship between implementation of communication intervention and decreases in excess behavior in persons with severe disabilities. Operant conditioning and pragmatics are discussed in terms of their joint application to excess behavior, and a list of possible pragmatic intents of excess behavior is…

Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) was applied to reduce the destructive behaviors of five-year-old quadruplets diagnosed with mental retardation and pervasive developmental disorder. Findings suggest that the effectiveness of NCR may be dependent on the use of a dense schedule of reinforcement initially and that systematic fading can increase the…

After finding that self-injurious behavior in two young males with developmental disabilities was negatively reinforced by escape from instructional activities, an intervention provided noncontingent escape on a fixed schedule and differential negative reinforcement of other behavior. Provision of escape, even when noncontingent, resulted in…

Presents a model to help teachers and curriculum developers identify priorities for health instruction. The model combines ideas from many accepted theories in health education. The paper examines basic questions for curriculum planning, then describes the development and use of behavioral maps. (SM)

This article points out the demonstrated effectiveness of behavioral interventions across a broad spectrum of school populations. The article discusses the following aspects of applying reinforcement techniques in the classroom: commonly used behavioral terminology, reinforcer selection, critical application factors, advantages and disadvantages,…