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…

The study sought to identify some of the variables controlling the severely aggressive behavior of two severely retarded children (ages 9 and 14). Experiments conducted under various conditions showed that, while aggressive behaviors sometimes serve as an escape function, the behaviors can be terminated through reduction of the causative situation…

Results of a series of three experiments with four developmentally disabled males (ages 7-13) who exhibited hand flapping and body rocking indicated that some forms of repetitive stereotyped behaviors may serve social functions (e.g., escape from aversive situations), and that teaching a functionally equivalent communicative alternative can be an…