Three punishment procedures--contingent applications of water mist, lemon juice, and vinegar--were evaluated as aversive treatment methods for a self-stimulatory behavior exhibited by a severely retarded 11-year-old male. The water mist procedure was as effective as lemon juice or vinegar, presented less physical threat to the client, and was…

One group (N=22) of community-based mentally retarded clients was initially on psychotropic medication. Their dosage was either increased, decreased, or kept the same following behavioral intervention. A second group (N=19) was placed on psychotropic medication following behavioral intervention. Results indicated that the behavioral-chemical…

Twenty profoundly retarded children (mean chronological age 14 years) were trained to play with ordinary toys, half by behavior modification and half by a control procedure. Operant training led to some increases in total toy contact but was not significantly more effective than the control technique in promoting independent constructive play.…

Guidelines are offered to parents and teachers for dealing with "normal" and aberrant theft while maintaining respect for the child's right to privacy. It is noted that theft is resistant to traditional intervention; however, successful behavioral interventions have been devised. (Author/CL)

The life and work of B.F. Skinner is reviewed. His interest in education is explored as well as his work and influence in such areas as: the development of the Air-Crib, the Write and See, writing program, Project Pigeon, aging and behavior modification. (Author/CL)

Defines performance discrepancy as the difference between someone's actual performance and his desired performance and relates this to drinking and driving behavior. Promotes examination of environmental and psychological factors which affect performance discrepancy and the application of behavior modification techniques before the adult stage is…

There was a decline in shrieking vocalizations of a profoundly retarded nine-year-old when the auditory feedback was masked with earplugs and a corresponding increase when the masking was removed. A contingent application of masking for brief intervals maintained treatment gains and minimized amount of time with the senses masked. (Author/CL)

Two short (20-second and 60-second) overcorrection procedures were effective in suppressing stereotypic behaviors of a 7- and a 12-year-old autistic student. (CL)

Assigned aggressive boys (N=76) to one of four cells consisting of anger coping, goal setting, anger coping plus goal setting, and a no treatment cell. Results of follow-up testing showed that the boys who had been in the anger-coping groups had reduced their disruptive and aggressive behavior in the classroom and at home. (LLL)

Subjects (N=109) completed a behavioral weight-management program either with or without the addition of hypnosis. Both interventions resulted in significant weight reduction. At the eight-month and two-year follow-ups, the hypnosis clients showed significant additional weight loss and were more likely to have achieved and maintained their…

Implemented a thought-control strategy to increase pleasure and reduce displeasure in dreaming and dream-related behaviors in college students (N=63). Results indicated that dreaming and behaviors associated with dreaming were significantly more pleasurable 12 weeks after the dream interventions and maintenance of a daily dream record. (LLL)

A method for fading object rewards for superordinate prerequisites to social play simultaneously with socially rewarded training on specific play was effective in teaching games to 15 institutionalized retarded adolescents. (Author/CL)

Results indicated that parents socially validated the effects of behavior therapy in that they judged the children as significantly improved after treatment, and that the effects of treatment were also socially validated by the parents' indication that they were more willing to interact with the children after treatment than before treatment.…

The enuresis of a hearing-impaired, developmentally disabled adolescent was corrected through the use of an auditory alarm and specific training procedures. The young man progressed from wetting the bed every night to being consistently dry after five weeks of treatment. He has remaind dry for over two years. (Author/CL)