A study, involving four developmentally disabled children who exhibited a variety of disruptive behaviors such as self-injury and tantrums, was conducted to assess the influence of task demands and adult attention on children's behaviors. The three experimental conditions were the "EASY 100" which consisted of an easy task on which children could…

A study of a call-in telephone service in Raleigh, North Carolina, which provides developmental guidance, referral, and general information to parents indicated continuous increase in use over a three-year period. Most frequent calls were about negative behavior, development, and toileting. Callers interviewed at follow-up reported a high degree…

Comparison of 154 families who placed developmentally disabled family members in residential programs and 377 families who cared for family members at home suggested increased incidence of family problems as well as more severe impairment among families who placed the developmentally disabled. (Author/DB)

Evaluated clinical utility and construct validity of seven new Missouri Children's Behavior Checklist behavior profiles and compared them to four original profiles. Results indicated that seven cluster solution classified equally as well as four cluster solution, but with increased differentiation into more specific internalizing and externalizing…

Results of two experiments on choosing replacement behaviors for behavior problems in developmentally disabled students were consistent with the hypothesis that some behavior problems may be viewed as nonverbal communication and that behavior problems and verbal communicative acts may be equivalent in function. Therefore, strengthening the latter…

Investigated the role of sensory reinforcement in motivation of rituals. Assessed the effect of sensory extinction for two children. Results showed light-switching rituals decreased when a certain sensory consequence was removed, then increased when that consequence was reintroduced. Different sensory consequences were functional for the children.…

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…

This review of the literature on functional assessment and treatment of challenging behavior in children and adults with developmental disabilities first discusses functional assessment methods and then research issues, including informant assessment, direct observation assessment, and experimental (functional) analysis. The implications of this…

A study conducted functional analyses of the elopement of three children (ages 4-11) with developmental disabilities. The results identified a maintaining reinforcer for the elopement of one child and reinforcer assessments clarified the reinforcers for the other two. Results of the assessments were then used to develop successful treatments.…

Functional communication training (FCT) is a widely used treatment for individuals with developmental disabilities who exhibit severe behavior problems. One inherent challenge of employing FCT as a treatment in the community is that reinforcement for appropriate communication cannot always be immediate or even possible in some circumstances. Of…

The aims of this study were to determine the motor outcome of extremely-low-birthweight (ELBW; less than 1000g) or very preterm (less than 28wks) children compared with normal birthweight (NBW) children, to establish the perinatal associations of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and its cognitive and behavioural consequences. Participants…

The aim of this article is to provide an in-depth description of early development in a young child with Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS). SMS is a multisystem, neurodevelopmental genetic disorder associated with mental retardation that predisposes individuals to a distinct pattern of maladaptive behaviors and other neuropsychological impairments.…

The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to describe the perspectives of elementary teachers about what supports were needed by them to successfully include a student with challenging behaviors in their general education classroom using positive practices. Fourteen general education teachers participated, each having had the experience…

This monograph reviews and analyzes a set of treatment procedures exemplifying a positive or nonaversive approach to the amelioration of severe behavior problems in persons with developmental disabilities. Target behaviors include self-injury, aggression, and tantrums. Approximately 100 research articles drawn from 21 journals and a number of…

A study was undertaken to determine whether a group of 26 parents generalized the use of behavior management techniques to their daily interactions with their developmentally disabled, behavior disordered, or normal preschool children at home. Parents participated in a 10 week course on practical parenting and their parent/child interactions were…