Findings from 84 interns from 32 nationwide training sites revealed that cognitive-behavioral supervisors were perceived to be in consultant role and to focus on skills and strategies more than were humanistic, psychodynamic, and existential supervisors, who were perceived more as using relationship model, playing therapist role, and focusing on…

This study used a data-based assessment to identify reinforcers and punishers for successful treatment of two children with severe destructive behaviors. Results suggested that empirically derived consequences may be useful in decreasing destructive behavior when a functional assessment is inconclusive or suggests that internal stimuli are…

Evaluated prevention approaches for young adults (n=36) at risk for alcohol problems. Subjects were randomly assigned to cognitive-behavioral alcohol skills training, didactic alcohol information program, or assessment only. Found significant reduction over one year in alcohol consumption for total sample; directional findings consistently favored…

Issues that impact on the ability of behaviorists to be effective in solving social and community problems are discussed, including use of legislative initiatives to bring about behavior change, sustaining interventions with local resources, and the possible rewards from employing collaborative methods in behavioral research. (JDD)

Assigned 45 rape victims with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to stress inoculation training (SIT), prolonged exposure (PE), supportive counseling, or wait-list. All conditions produced improvements on PTSD symptoms, rape-related distress, general anxiety, and depression. SIT produced significantly more improvement on PTSD symptoms than did…

This paper responds to commentaries on an original article which proposed decreasing the training of applied behavior analysts as if they were going to be researchers, because most are not. The paper supports high quality research but opposes inculcating proresearcher, antipractitioner values in graduate education and recommends trying harder to…

Seventeen convicted male child sexual offenders underwent brief structured group treatment to reduce denial of sexual offenses. Treatment consisted of victim empathy, cognitive restructuring, assertiveness and social skills, education about sex offender therapy, and other elements. Following treatment, the majority of offenders came out of denial…

Questions to ask when a behavior modification program is not working address the classroom environment, time factors, importance of emphasizing the positive, appropriate reinforcers, time lag before receiving reinforcement, criteria for reinforcement, reinforcer satiation, schedules of reinforcement, shaping to reduce inappropriate behaviors, and…

This article summarizes recent research into incidence of speech and language disorders in behaviorally handicapped children. Issues facing clinicians working with these children are discussed, including speech-language objectives and techniques, appropriate behavior management techniques, and consultation with other professionals. (Author/PB)

The literature on fears and phobias of children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities is reviewed. Assessment procedures are then examined, including interviews, self-reports, parent rating scales, and behavioral observations. Interventions are drawn from the principles of respondent, operant, and vicarious conditioning. (Author/DB)

This study examined effect of initial differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) intervals on disruptive behavior of nine students with moderate disabilities. Results indicate initial DRO value equal to the mean number of intervals between responses in baseline was much more effective than a value twice that size. (Author/PB)

A retrospective evaluation of restrictive behavior programs in a state residential facility for persons with mental retardation found beneficial behavioral effects. The behavior programs reviewed utilized isolation timeout, exclusion timeout, response cost, prone restraint, seated restraint, timeout device, nonexclusion timeout, standing…

Discusses a microcomputer program that was created to simulate the behavior of a computerized "animal" so that students could practice the shaping of behavior. Describes mathematical algorithms that allowed the "animal" to show gradual improvements in directional movements after appropriate shaping. Reports that students were…

Reviewed 181 experimental studies published between 1980 and 1990 in seven journals known for behaviorally based interventions to determine whether treatment integrity (degree to which treatment is implemented as planned) was assessed, degree of treatment integrity, operational definitions of treatments, and effect sizes produced by interventions.…

A study compared the effects of two treatments, noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) and sensory extinction, on the self-injurious behavior (SIB) exhibited by three adults with developmental disabilities. Results indicated that both procedures were effective in reducing SIB, although NCR was associated with either more rapid or greater overall…