The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health is a biopsychosocial framework of health-related functioning designed to provide a unifying system for health care, social services, education, and policy sectors. Since its publication in 2001, the International Classification of Functioning has been used to guide clinical…

The main purpose of this paper is the functional analysis and argumentation of text connectors as tools for implementation of the textual connectivity not only in the local but also global context. Given the comparative nature of this paper, we will be comparing typology and relationships expressed by the connectors in some of the argumentative…

There is a large body of literature suggesting that students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) lack appropriate social skills, including deficits in building and maintaining interpersonal relationships, prosocial behaviors (e.g., sharing, helping, cooperation), and self-management strategies. While the literature shows small to modest…

The use of Skinner's Verbal Behavior (VB) classification system has been increasingly applied to learners with autism. In this interview, several of the best known behavior analysts were asked to answer some key questions regarding this practice, the state of research regarding the advantages of this approach, and the confusion that exists…

In the United States, research directed specifically at improving our understanding of the psychiatric assessment and treatment of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) has grown, yet lags far behind efforts for typically developing children and adults. In the United States, a lack of a national approach to the mental health problems of…

Some have suggested that the definition of verbal behavior offered by B. F. Skinner (1957) fails to capture the essence of language insofar as it is too broad and not functional. In this paper, I argue that the ambiguities of Skinner's definition are not an indictment of it, and that suggestions to the contrary are problematic because they suffer…

The aim of the study is to describe disability among younger stroke patients by analyzing activity and participation and the environmental aspect as well as to compare assessed and self-perceived problems after stroke. International Classification of Functioning and Health (ICF) is a tool that provides a scientific basis for understanding and…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether students with identified behavioral needs were provided a different level of behavioral intervention based on their special education disability category verification. A second purpose of this study was to determine what caused potential differences as interpreted by individuals working in the…

Little data exists assessing the relationship between functional limitations in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and their participation in everyday activities. This prospective study evaluates the relationship between the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI), a functional health-related quality of life instrument for children…

It is customary in behavior analysis to distinguish between positive and negative reinforcement in terms of whether the reinforcing event involves onset or offset of a stimulus. In a previous article (Baron & Galizio, 2005), we concluded that a distinction of these terms is not only ambiguous but has little if any functional significance. Here, we…

While a majority of cognitive behavioural researchers and clinicians adhere to the classification system provided in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV)," strong objections have been voiced among behaviourists who find the dichotomous allocation of patients into psychiatric diagnoses incompatible with the philosophy…

This paper covers the application of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) to treatment of problem behavior in residential facilities. Basic behavioral concepts are covered with emphasis on antecedent events and their importance in assessment and treatment. The paper focuses on two types of assessment, the behavioral interview and A-B-C narrative…

Discriminatory ability of several pediatric outcome tools was assessed relative to Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level in patients with cerebral palsy. Five hundred and sixty-two patients (400 with diplegia, 162 with hemiplegia; 339 males, 223 females; age range 4-18y, mean 11y 1mo [SD 3y 7mo]), classified as GMFCS Levels I to…

School refusal behavior is a common problem seen by mental health professionals and by educators but little consensus is available as to its classification, assessment, and treatment. This study assessed 143 youth with primary school refusal behavior and their parents to examine diagnoses that are most commonly associated with proposed functions…

Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is an assessment procedure used to identify the reasons for children's misbehavior. In this article we provide an overview of one approach to FBA known as "multimodal functional behavioral assessment" (MFBA) that provides a comprehensive examination of the causes of children's disruptive behavior. The…