Three adolescent students with special educational needs were given reinforcers (nickels) according to three different concurrent variable-interval schedules. Time allocated to the assigned tasks was in linear relationship to the reinforcement rate. However, changes in reinforcement schedules were not followed by changes in allocation patterns…

Investigated effectiveness of behavioral consultation in changing children's (n=20) and teachers' (n=20) behaviors in consultation cases that involved children identified by teachers as manifesting symptoms characteristic of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. Children who received consultation improved significantly more than students in…

A close friend and colleague of Burrhus Frederic Skinner comments on obituaries of Skinner published in major newspapers and expresses his gratefulness for Skinner's contributions to the field of behavioral psychology, including his writing of "The Behavior of Organisms" and development of teaching machines and programed instruction.…

The daughter of Burrhus Frederic Skinner writes of her father's activities during the last few days of his life--his speech upon receipt of an award from the American Psychological Association, his work on research papers and books, interviews, and his final admission to the hospital where he died. (JDD)

Conducted two studies in which college students (n=241) described their methods of coping with depressive affect and evaluated efficaciousness of those methods. Five times more behavioral than cognitive strategies were reported. Ratings for perceived effectiveness for all strategies were higher than ratings of likelihood of being employed. Men's…

Describes a training program to improve graduate psychology students' seminar presentation skills. Outlines the behavior modeling and interviews with professors used in the training. Concludes that the project was evaluated favorably by professors in other courses where students made presentations and by the students themselves. (CFR)

The authors of a study reported in EC 605 442, which indicated long-term gains for children with autism who experienced intensive behavioral intervention as preschoolers, describe study replication efforts and reply to criticisms raised in commentaries in EC 605 443-447. (JDD)

This paper reviews the literature on functional assessment in the behavioral treatment of aggression in persons with mental retardation or developmental delays. Increased use of functional assessment and skill training is noted but no concomitant decrease in the use of intrusive procedures. (Author/DB)

The sleep-wake cycles of 4 developmentally delayed individuals (ages 3-19) with severe sleep disturbances were regulated using a faded bedtime procedure with response cost. Following treatment, all four increased their amounts of nighttime sleep; two decreased their excessive daytime sleep; and three decreased their night wakings. (Author/JDD)

The out-of-seat behavior of a highly disruptive 4 year old with severe disabilities was substantially reduced using differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior. The boy's in-seat behavior expanded from less than a minute to 20 minutes. The providers' use of physical restraint decreased to near-zero levels, and the boy's appropriate toy…

Discusses problems associated with the increasing number of drug offenders in U.S. correctional institutions. Explores the relationship between drugs and crime, the history of treating drug-using offenders, and efforts afoot in the Federal Correctional Options Program and the Bureau of Prisons to rehabilitate these prisoners. (MKA)

Argues against the use of rewards for students. Discusses their origin in Skinner's behaviorism and their application in behavior modification in the classroom. Describes the problems with using rewards, as noted by Alfie Kohn and others, including the erosion of intrinsic motivation and the distortion of the focus of learning. Presents…

A study compared the effects of extinction (EXT) and fixed-time (FT) schedules as treatment for the severe problem behaviors of three individuals with developmental disabilities. During EXT, the reinforcer maintaining problem behavior was withheld. During FT, the reinforcers were presented response independently at preset intervals. FT schedules…

Describes a one-day Teaching Skills Training Program to train paraprofessional school personnel working with students with severe disabilities. The program focuses on four basic teaching competencies: task analysis, least-to-most assistive prompting, reinforcement, and error correction. The training format incorporates a classroom-based component,…

Assessed main and collateral effects of the assessment and treatment of attention-maintained self-injury, with regard to four categories of behavior: self-injury, a novel mand, pre-existing prosocial responses, and other aberrant responses. Results suggest that self-injury, prosocial responses, and other abberant behaviors are within the same…