Discusses a microcomputer program that was created to simulate the behavior of a computerized "animal" so that students could practice the shaping of behavior. Describes mathematical algorithms that allowed the "animal" to show gradual improvements in directional movements after appropriate shaping. Reports that students were…

Reviewed 181 experimental studies published between 1980 and 1990 in seven journals known for behaviorally based interventions to determine whether treatment integrity (degree to which treatment is implemented as planned) was assessed, degree of treatment integrity, operational definitions of treatments, and effect sizes produced by interventions.…

Survey examines gender differences in sexual practices and beliefs about condom use among rural injecting drug users admitted to treatment programs. Results indicate that Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome knowledge was extremely limited for both males and females in this sample, suggesting that basic HIV/AIDS…

Describes a behavior analytic program for preschool children with autism, the University of California, Los Angeles, Young Autism Project. It reviews outcome data, replication and dissemination efforts, frequently voiced concerns, and future directions. It concludes that, based on existing scientific evidence, increasing the availability of…

Reviews research on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and examines the role of neurochemical stimulation and signs of neurological deficits. Describes the chemical action of drugs used to treat ADHD, along with cognitive, affective, and behavioral effects, and side effects. Elaborates on drug treatment and basic behavior modification…

Examines whether cognitive restructuring (CR) contributes to treatment efficacy and investigates its mode of action for therapeutic effects. Results, based on 60 persons with generalized social phobia, indicate that CR reduced social phobia and negative social cognitions and increased positive cognitions. CR did not enhance the effects of…

A study used direct and indirect methods to assess and treat several topographies of the aggression of a 7-year-old boy with severe mental retardation and pervasive personality disorder. Functional communication training with extinction reduced all forms of aggression except chin grinding, which was reduced by an alternative treatment. (Author/CR)

Describes a treatment package for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The components of the Kit, which uses whole-classroom reinforcement, are categorized into three areas and the empirical rationale for each component is discussed. Presents a case study of a six-year-old girl with reported disruptive behavior problems. (RJM)

This article reviews two instructional strategies, derived from applied behavior analysis, designed to develop meaningful social relations for children with autism. The literature on the implementation and effectiveness of teaching peers to be intervention agents and using group-oriented contingencies is reviewed. Emphasis is on the social…

Meta-analyses were performed on 12 studies of treatment with sex offenders (n=1,313). A small, but robust, overall effect size was found for treatment versus comparison conditions. Cognitive-behavioral and hormonal treatments were significantly more effective than behavioral treatments but were not significantly different from each other. (JPS)

Examines regional differences in college student experiences with corporal punishment as children. Students from a northeastern and a southern university were surveyed. Results indicated that students attending the northeastern university were less likely to have been spanked as children. Effect of region was more important for attitudes than…

Strategies to halt school violence can fail if they do not embody core values that embrace nonviolence and challenge hostile, disrespectful acts. The process of creating a school that values nonviolent expressions of aggression and fights hostile attitudes and behaviors encompasses four stages. Article describes these stages for creating and…

Ten parents administered a behavioral reading-therapy program to their second- to fourth-grade children with reading disabilities. The children received from 70 to 121 30-minute sessions. Parents were able to administer the program effectively and children participated enthusiastically. Children showed mastery of the reading materials and…

This study assessed the impact of a prevention program on the growth of delinquency from 13 to 16 years of age and examined whether its impact operated through a chain of events compatible with many developmental models. Analysis showed that the program had an indirect effect on the growth of delinquency from 13 to 16 years of age. (Author)

This critical review examines 10 controlled studies in which traditional operant behavioral procedures were compared with normalized interventions for teaching language to young children with autism. It concluded that normalized language training was substantially more effective than discrete-trial training and yielded more positive parental…