A study of three children (ages 3-5) with developmental disabilities evaluated the effects of environmental enrichment on self-injurious behavior. Each child participated in a free-operate preference assessment to identify relative preferences for aberrant behavior. This assessment correctly predicted the success of environmental enrichment to…

In a developmental center for individuals with mental retardation, blood lead level was determined for individuals who were admitted or discharged over two decades. Analysis indicated a marked decline in blood lead levels, attributed to local lead abatement measures, effective pica management, and reduced environmental lead contamination.…

This article discusses findings from interviews with 204 families of children with developmental disabilities to measure parental religiosity. It was found that mothers who spontaneously mentioned religion in their interview rated themselves higher on the religiosity scale, made positive comments about religion, and used religion as a coping…

The Miller Assessment for Preschoolers (MAP) and a number/counting test were given to 50 4- and 5-year-olds. Low performance on counting was related to significantly slower average response time, overshoot movement time, and reaction time, indicating perceptual-motor difficulty. Low MAP scores indicated difficulty processing visual spatial…

Examined how 11 developmentally disabled students made sense of their experiences in inclusive and segregated classrooms in urban elementary and junior high schools over 6 years. Information from observations and teacher and student interviews supported inclusive schooling, indicating that as students moved into and out of traditionalist and…

This study assessed effectiveness of peer delivered simultaneous prompting (SP) in teaching the expressive identification of community signs to four students with developmental disabilities. Results showed that the tutors delivered the SP reliably and tutees were able to expressively identify community signs. Tutees maintained acquired skills one…

Developed a measure of severity of mental retardation in adults, the Level of Activity in Profound/severe Mental Retardation, scale using Rasch analysis as a guide to item selection. Results from using the scale to rate 146 adults with mental retardation support the use of the scale for classification of severe and profound retardation. (SLD)

A study involving three preschoolers with developmental disabilities examined whether or not the use of a simultaneous prompting procedure would result in an increase on the percentage of correct responding of receptively identifying occupations from picture cards. Results found simultaneous prompting was effective. Maintenance and generalization…

Discussed are some advances in the treatment of autism. The cooperation between clinicians and parents is highlighted. The success of one school program is described. (CW)

Reviews evidence on biological etiology of autism and other pervasive developmental deviations, stressing necessity for providing early and accurate diagnosis for family. Discusses implications of downplaying individual pathology and concentrating on parental or family dysfunction. Presents components of psychoeducational model for diagnosis and…

The paper presents data obtained in a preliminary study of teacher (N=2) responsiveness to communicative initiation attempts of preschool children (N=4) with developmental delays. Teacher contingent responsiveness was low for both child- and teacher-directed activities but was lowest for the teacher-directed activities. (Author/DB)

The paper describes the steps necessary to integrate a preschool program to increase least restrictive environment options for preschoolers with developmental handicaps, and reviews the case study of one preschool undergoing integration. Described are the rationale for change, the change process, daily activity schedule, and sample continuums for…

The empirical support for three theoretical approaches to infant intervention is reviewed, including direct intervention via nonsocial means, direct intervention via social means, and indirect infant intervention via social support to the family. For each approach, underlying theoretical assumptions are identified, and for each assumption,…

Individuals with developmental disability (n=400) were assessed with the "Dyskinesia Identification System: Condensed User Scale" (DISCUS), a 15-item tardive dyskinesia rating scale shortened from the "Dyskinesia Identification System-Coldwater." Based on interrater reliability, 2-week stability, and other analyses, DISCUS is…

Discusses a sibling support group for 7-13-year-old siblings of developmentally delayed children. Describes group sessions and family responses to the program. (RJC)