Reviews individual and group studies describing the application of behavior therapy techniques to the management of 41 electively mute children. Updates previous reviews of treatment techniques, examines criteria influencing application of specific techniques to individual children, and evaluates evidence as to relative effectiveness of different…

The recalcitrant spitting of a blind, deaf, and retarded adolescent was eliminated with a behavioral intervention consisting of positive reinforcement for not spitting and facial screening for spitting. The social and academic implications of modifying such behaviors are discussed. (Author/CMG)

Examined the relationship between outcomes of behaviorally oriented treatment for children (N=366) and eye color. Findings were consistent with theoretical expectations: Dark-eyed children and teenagers responded better to reactive treatment programs than their light-eyed counterparts, while the reverse was true for self-paced treatment programs.…

A token economy was employed for the sequential modification of three high-priority behavioral deficits in a disturbed, autistic child: appropriateness of dress, academic achievement, and appropriate group walking. After establishing a stable baseline rate for all behaviors in both settings, the treatment was systematically implemented until all…

Describes reality therapy, a cognitive behavioral approach that has not been developed for, nor associated with, career counseling. Discusses the role of reality therapy in career counseling, with the aid of a flowchart model to present the particulars of the system. (Author/JAC)

When positive reinforcement was presented via teacher verbalizations in a noncontingent fixed-time schedule, two autistic children (six and nine years old) increased their percentage of correct responding on difficult and easy tasks. (Author/CL)

Recent research on the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, a disorder of metabolism, in terms of etiology and characteristics, biomedical treatment options, behavior modifications, daily management concerns, and educational intervention. Specific attention is given to alternatives for dealing with self-injurious behavior in those individuals affected by the…

The article maintains that many behavior modification specialists now prefer the labels "applied behavior analysis" and summarizes four studies published in the "Journal of Precision Teaching" on learning by activity, encouragement of creative writing, inner thought, and impact on the field. (Author/MC)

This manual takes school practitioners step by step through conducting functional behavioral assessments and using them to plan effective interventions. The authors present a cogent rationale for the use of functional behavioral assessment (FBA), clearly explaining its advantages over traditional approaches to dealing with problem behavior. Basic…

This paper reviews the literature on autism in general and examines in some detail the research on the Lovaas method of early intervention. The general review is divided into subsections which cover the following topics: historical perspectives, definition of autism, causes of autism, characteristics of people with autism, diagnostic criteria,…

Thirty-two Snake-fearing Ss viewed a videotape of four therapists who described and illustrated their techniques for treating fear of snakes. After describing their liking or disliking of each of the therapies, 16 Ss were assigned a preferred therapy, and the other 16 were given a nonpreferred therapy. The findings argue for the practice of having…

The current emphasis on performance criteria in training programs and in professional services poses a threat to the humanistically oriented helper. This article suggests a behavioral humanism as the desired solution to the dilemma and proposes some guidelines for formulating and implementing such a synthetic system. (Author)

This article reports a project in which students in a college level adjustment course were taught to apply a model of behavior change in order to gain greater control over their own behavior. Pilot data suggest that students found the experience worthwhile, that many of them learned to make substantial changes in their behavior. (Author)

This article discusses several principles derived from learning theory which aid in understanding the use and abuse of drugs and illustrates their role in behavioral group counseling, a promising new strategy for drug abuse prevention. (JC)

This article describes the content and evaluation of a training center for drug abuse prevention. Through a series of four workshops teams of students, educators, and community leaders received intensive training in behavioral group counseling focused on alternatives to drug use. Evaluation along several criteria indicated that the goals of the…