Discusses the adaptation of music teaching methods and classroom environments for mainstreamed special students. Teachers must identify handicapped students, establish individualized goals for them, and modify the classroom, class activities, and teaching techniques to meet their special needs. The discussion includes the use of behavior…

Parent training as a mode of therapeutic intervention with children is examined. Five major approaches to parent training are reviewed; behavioral, Adlerian, interpersonal communications, parenthood education, and bibliotherapy. An illustration of each approach is presented with additional citations of the relevant literature. (Author/RL)

Presents the history, philosophy, and form of training at the Ackerman Institute for Family Therapy, and attempts to capture the spirit and atmosphere of the program rather than enumerate details. The program teaches family therapy and a systems perspective on human behavior to professionals who have completed basic professional training. (Author)

Compared two behavioral treatments for marital discord with a nonspecific control and waiting-list control. Behavioral treatments combined problem-solving skills with contingency management procedures, differing only in contracting form, good faith contracts, and quid pro quo contracts. Both behavioral groups improved significantly more than…

Investigated behavioral programs for obesity. Exercise and self-managed contingency components were compared using obese subjects who were evaluated after treatment and follow-up. Significant weight loss was observed at termination. The influence of exercise at follow-up was noticeable. Subjects engaged in behaviors, yet behaviors were not related…

Investigated determinants and predictive utility of client's perception of therapuetic relationship (CPTR) in context of behavior therapy research. CPTR was an effective predictor of dropping out when measured early in therapy, of immediate posttherapy client gains when measured in mid- to late therapy, but not of long-term maintenance.…

Investigated the relative effectiveness of therapeutic components common to behavioral marital therapies: procedures designed to change behavior and attitudes, and nonspecific therapeutic effects. Ordering produced three treatment conditions--nonspecific, behavioral, and behavioral-attitudinal. The behavioral-attitudinal group showed significantly…

Teacher self-assessment programs have become increasingly popular with the advent of ideas concerning behavior modification. Several teacher self-assessment studies are reviewed, and guidelines are provided for the development of self-assessment techniques. (JN)

The article reviews the literature on factors contributing to mathematical disabilities, the remediation of mathematical disabilities in children, and an applied behavioral analysis orientation to math disabilities. The author notes a trend toward applied behavior analysis and productive changes in teaching strategies to deal with individual…

Piagetian based curricular attempts in special education may have to begin with a system for representing the individual's current level of behavioral organization and designing environmental interactions that expand the constructions of the individual into reorganized, more complex forms. (Author)

Evaluated the effectiveness of spouse training for long-term weight loss. Overweight women (N=68) were assigned to one of five groups. The cooperative spouse group lost significantly more weight. That group and the nonparticipating spouse conditions maintained their weight losses at the final follow-up. The wives-alone group regained some weight.…

Educational leadership entails developing teacher behaviors that support student learning. This article outlines ways of achieving this goal through positive reinforcement. (Author/WD)

A modified operant design demonstrated the effectiveness of the feedback procedure. Significant changes were evidenced by all groups of subjects. Initial results and follow-up observations indicated that the attending behavior of the experimental subjects increased and was maintained, without the use of tangible reinforcers. (Author)

A review of behavioral research in the area of classroom management is presented. Four questions for teachers to ask themselves when a problem in the classroom arises explore the appropriateness of the instructional materials, student understanding of teacher expectations, management effectiveness, and sources of help. (PHR)

Eight hyperactive children (6 to 11 years old) were treated with a behavioral intervention focusing on teacher and parent training over a period of 5 months. The results suggested that the combination of psychostimulant medication and behavior therapy may be more effective in the short term than either treatment alone. (Author)