Presents intervention strategies based on the Trauma Outcome Process, an integrated treatment model for guiding clinical practice with children with sexually abusive behavior problems. The steps for completing a comprehensive assessment are reviewed, and strategies are presented to help clinicians create a therapeutic alliance and increase these…

A six-year old with developmental delays who exhibited aggression when asked to pick up his toys was studied to determine the effects of interventions. Treatment included praise, a break, and access to the toys contingent on compliance. Results showed aggression decreased only with social interaction during the break. (Author/CR)

This article discusses the difficulties some individuals with developmental disabilities have in responding to behavioral treatment and suggests an alternative to traditional behavioral treatment programs. It describes the use of the accommodation approach in which an individual's environment is rearranged to prevent or lower the occurrence of…

A study evaluated a comprehensive school-wide program based on an effective behavioral support approach for preventing disruptive behaviors implemented in seven elementary schools. The program included a school-wide discipline program, tutoring, conflict resolution, and functional behavioral intervention plans. Schools showed positive effects on…

A study evaluated the efficacy of a multicomponent program for treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in 50 students (ages 8- 9). Teachers (n=29) were trained in behavior modification techniques, cognitive behavior strategies, and instructional management strategies. Parents' and teachers' ratings detected improvement in primary…

This case study evaluated an antecedent intervention for tantrums by a five year-old girl with cognitive, language, and motor problems. Functional assessment correlated tantrums with high-demand activities but not with novel staff. Intervention placed novel staff in charge of high-demand activities and successfully eliminated tantrums, which…

Parents' and grandparents' ratings of alternative treatments for children with behavior disorders were assessed. Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO), time-out, response cost, spanking, and medication were applied to noncompliance, aggression, tantrums, and hyperactivity. DRO, response cost, and time-out were found significantly more…

A functional analysis of eye poking by a four-year-old female with severe developmental disabilities and visual impairments showed that high rates occurred in all conditions. Attempts to identify the maintaining variable found that eye poking decreased only when finger-eye contact was interrupted by blocking the response. (Author/DB)

Following inconclusive functional analyses of problem behaviors in 3 children (ages 3-4) with severe disabilities, interventions based on environmental enrichment were implemented. For all subjects, environmental enrichment decreased aberrant behavior if preferred stimuli were used. Explicit reinforcement of appropriate play behavior was required…

This paper explores the reasonableness of expecting conventional experimental methodologies and research reports on behavioral interventions for persons with developmental disabilities to both support the validity of promising practices and guide the efforts of practitioners to implement those practices. New directions for research and practice…

Systematic implementation of a peer-mediated self-evaluation procedure to improve the recess behavior problems of three second-grade boys was evaluated. Clear improvements in the boys' behavior were found, which were maintained as the self-evaluation procedure was systematically faded. In addition, treatment effects generalized to another recess…

Examination of staff responses to problem behaviors in three community-based group homes found that staff tended to rely heavily on verbal approaches to address problem behavior of people with intellectual disability, using other strategies only when the initial response failed. Findings suggest that staff behavior is negatively reinforced by the…

Antisocial behavior patterns and the assessment and management of aggressive and violent behavior in the schools are discussed. Behavioral analysis of aggression should identify its antecedents and consequences to provide the basis for intervention. Intervention strategies include behavior enhancement contingencies, behavior reduction…

A national survey of 147 institutions for individuals with mental retardation found that 68 percent of the institutions had used at least 1 of 3 specified treatment options to deal with behavior problems. Results indicated that, in comparison to in-house behavior shaping units and mobile intensive treatment teams, specialized outside referral…

Teachers must learn how to make their classrooms caring cultures, provide caring while enforcing order, and become part of the solution for students with behavior problems. Schools must provide a curriculum of caring so each problem student can have at least one school adult as a concerned advocate. (SM)