Examined whether obese subjects' causal attributions of their weight problems to ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck affect how much weight they lose as a function of treatment. Results indicated the most powerful predictor of positive weight status was subjects' perception that they had the ability to lose weight. (Author)

Suggests that the problem of effective care of diabetes mellitus presents an opportunity for the emerging field of health psychology. Discusses behavioral interventions that aid in treatment of this disease by reducing its energy mobilizing effects on the nervous system. (Author/AOS)

Compared three treatments for modifying Type A coronary-prone behavior pattern (TABP). Comprehensive behavior therapy (CBT), emphasizing self-control procedures, and group support (GS), encouraging change in TABP targets but without behavioral techniques, were contrasted to brief information (BI). Results with healthy male executives (N=38) showed…

Used monetary contracts to evaluate artificial incentives in weight reduction. Overweight men (N=89) were assigned to weight reduction treatment groups which varied by amount of deposit and type of contract. Results showed group contracts produced more weight loss than individual contracts. Amount of deposit was only weakly related to outcomes.…

The diagnosis and treatment of a 13-year-old female who manifested postencephalitic behavioral syndrome 9 years after an acute measles infection are described, along with the history of the case. The case illustrates that an interdisciplinary approach using a single-case experimental design can be clinically effective. (SEW)

Teachers can help learning and behavior disordered students in middle and secondary grades develop self control through a strategy in which students are taught to stop, look, listen, and think before carrying out a task. The final step is to reinforce themselves. (CL)

Telephone home survey can be used to identify child behavior problems accurately and assess their frequencies and setting conditions for "normal" children. This technique appears to provide reliable information useful in the design of community-targeted behavior management packages. (CMG)

Timeout from positive reinforcement is frequently used by special educators for dealing with undesired student behavior. Six types, or levels, of response contingent timeout found in the literature are as follows: planned ignoring, reduction of response maintenance stimuli, planned ignoring plus restraint, contingent observation, exclusion, and…

Study results indicate that providing simple nutrition information (nutrition-information sign and/or nutrient display cards) at the point-of-choice (where college students decide to obtain milk) in a college dormitory cafeteria was an effective method for influencing the students' dietary practices. (Authors/CJ)

Definite increases toward internal control were shown in an experimental group which experienced relaxation, suggestion, and imagery (RSI) procedures and a control group which discussed ways of modifying locus of control in a study of Rotter's concept. The experimental group's posttreatment scores on Rotter's internal-external scale were…

Four supervisors working in a sheltered workshop for developmentally disabled adults participated in a behavior management program. Tests of durability of the altered behavior at three months and six months after completion of training showed that three supervisors had maintained low levels of attending to inappropriate trainee behaviors. (Author)

The investigation sought to teach a sequence of arrival behaviors to a severely mentally retarded 12-year-old child living in an institution. Withdrawal and reintroduction of the pacing prompts established that increases in independent arrival behavior were attributed to the pacing prompts. (Author/SB)

Research is reviewed that employs delay procedures with the severely handicapped as a means of shifting stimulus control. The parameters of delay procedures are delineated, including prerequisite student and teacher considerations, types of responses, levels of delay, single versus blocked trials, and basic delay methodology. (Author)

Examined therapist variables related to outcome in structured, cognitive-behavioral group treatment for depression. Each of eight leaders conducted two consecutive psychoeducational treatment groups. Results indicated leaders differed significantly on behavioral and group-process measures, but differences in depression outcome between leaders did…

The author offers teachers suggestions for dealing with hyperactive children in such areas as reducing distractibility, controlling impulsivity, and promoting interpersonal skills and adjustment. (SW)