The staff of an apartment-based residential support program was taught to use behavior interruption strategies to elicit requesting functions from two women with deaf-blindness and developmental disabilities. Results found the strategies to be both quickly assimilated by the staff and effective in increasing request rates from the subjects.…

This paper presents a conceptual framework, based on training in self-regulation, for the normalization of sexual behavior in individuals with developmental disabilities. Four features of such an approach include acquiring appropriate sexual behaviors, generalizing skills, discriminating appropriate contexts, and evaluating one's actions. (DB)

Institutions for people with disabilities can be "deinstitutionalized" by changing the way they are organized and regulated. The process of developing community learning environments in residential programs involves design of daily living routines, assessment of residential living skills, identification of teaching objectives, development of…

This article addresses legal concerns regarding the use of level systems to manage students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Concerns pertain to a failure to individualize the program, including restricted access to the least restrictive environment, curricular issues, and procedural concerns. A decision-making model to aid in designing…

This article discusses assessment strategies for accurately pinpointing the social and communicative functions of challenging behavior and presents an array of proactive interventions to decrease escape-motivated challenging behavior and to decrease access-motivated challenging behavior. Factors influencing the selection of one intervention…

A review of the use of psychotropic medications for people with developmental disabilities is presented. Results suggest that prescribing drugs based on topographical features of the problem behavior, without considering the function the behavior serves for the individual, contributes to variability in clinical response. Functional analysis of a…

Discusses a study on how Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) approached intervening with criminal youth to halt or reduce their criminal activities before these activities become entrenched. This approach emphasizes quick case turnaround and harsh sanctions for youths who are serious habitual offenders. (GLR)

Using specific case examples, this paper offers several therapeutic principles and examples of their practical application to demonstrate brief and effective interventions to meet the challenges and needs of victims of sexual abuse and young perpetrators. The interventions are sufficiently flexible to work within the constraints imposed by…

Application of the Social Cognition Intervention Program (SCIP) with deaf and hard of hearing adolescents is described. The program, based on experiential learning, is intrinsically rewarding, flexible, and enjoyable for students. The program uses games and activities that encourage students to evaluate personalities, emotions, behavior, and…

This article presents a rationale for using students with emotional/behavioral disorders as behavior change agents for peers. Guidelines address use of peer confrontation strategies; selection, training, and evaluation of peer modifiers; and issues (such as ethical aspects of peer intervention). (DB)

The article addresses special costs of strategies involved in maintaining students with behavior disorders in least restrictive environments including regular classrooms. Considered are factors influencing teacher choice of interventions, assumptions about classroom management, the role of the teacher, and intervention strategies and their…

In effective therapeutic adventure experiences that incorporate metaphoric transfer, the metaphor contains isomorphs that link the experience to client needs and therapeutic issues. Use of metaphoric transfer in a therapeutic experience for substance abusers is described. Seven steps for creating appropriate metaphoric experiences are outlined.…

Twenty students between the ages of 6 and 19 with profound to moderate hearing impairments were trained to monitor their own hearing aids and perform basic hearing aid maintenance tasks. Results indicated improved hearing aid function while students were actively involved in hearing aid maintenance programs but rapid decline of habits after…

Two studies investigating effects of video-assisted training on employment-related social skills of three adults with severe mental retardation found that participants discriminated the target behavior on video, but effects did not generalize to the work setting for two participants until they rehearsed the behavior. (Author/DB)

This study evaluated whether behaviors often taught as part of social skills training for individuals with mental retardation were judged favorably by 61 community judges. Results indicated that the skills of following instructions, accepting criticism, and negotiating were relevant to judgment of social performance and likely to be reinforced by…