Evaluated separate and combined effects of behavior modification and two doses of methylphenidate compared with baseline on classroom behavior and academic performance of 31 attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) boys. Found significant effects of both interventions, with mean effect size of medication being more than twice as great as…

Assigned 49 obese diabetic patients with obese spouses (diabetic or nondiabetic) to an alone or together (with spouses) treatment condition of behavioral weight control program. Found no significant differences in weight losses of patients at posttreatment or one-year followup, but did find that women did better when treated with their spouses,…

Assertive discipline can help teachers develop more consistent and effective communication strategies for influencing student behavior. Over a nine-week period, two teachers using assertive discipline reduced the off-task and disruptive behavior of a male kindergarten student by defining behavioral limits and providing positive and negative…

Evaluates 3 1985-87 mass media campaigns designed to prevent smoking by adolescents, using data gathered by telephone contact with over 2,000 households. The campaigns had but a modest or indeterminate result. Radio proved as effective as television. (DM)

Factor analysis of Self-Help Inventory from 307 outpatients receiving cognitive-behavioral therapy for affective disorders revealed 3 factors that assessed frequency of active coping strategies use when depressed, helpfulness of strategies, and willingness to learn new strategies. Frequency and Helpfulness scales were not correlated with patient…

Randomly assigned adults (n=212) seeking treatment for marijuana use to relapse prevention (RP) or social support (SSP) group discussion intervention. Data collected at 12 months posttreatment revealed substantial reductions in frequency of marijuana use and associated problems; no significant difference between treatments on days of marijuana…

Examined contingent positive and negative reinforcement and adaptive behavior and mood among 36 chronic, psychiatric outpatients who received either contingent positive token reinforcement to improve daily living skills, negative reinforcement procedure based on removal of free-tokens, or no treatment. Found significant differences between control…

Reviews literature on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in children and adolescents, emphasizing clinical presentation, evaluation, and treatment options. Notes that patients with OCD show remarkable similarities in clinical presentations, and have distinct profiles on cognitive, behavioral, and psychological measures. Concludes that advances in…

Identifies essential features of behavior modification programs and applies them to children who have disabilities. Discussion and examples are organized around four steps of behavior modification: (1) define and measure the target behavior; (2) identify under what conditions the behavior occurs; (3) identify factors causing or maintaining the…

Three experiments were conducted with two participants with mental retardation that displayed property destruction and stereotypy. The experiments assessed the function of the responses, determined their relationship, and developed a treatment to reduce property destruction. Response blocking reduced property destruction (and attempts), prevented…

A study investigated the efficacy of texture fading in the treatment of food selectivity displayed by four children (ages 2-5). Successful treatment involved the gradual addition of higher textures based on results of periodic probes. Food acceptance and swallowing were reinforced, while food refusal and expulsion were placed on extinction.…

A functional analysis was conducted which showed that self-injurious behavior (SIB) of an adult with mental retardation occurred at differentially high rates when restraint materials access was contingent on behavior. An alone condition during the functional analysis showed SIB did not occur in the absence of restraint materials. Functional…

A study compared effects of continuous reinforcement (play) and alone conditions as controls during functional analyses for 66 individuals whose self-injurious behavior (SIB) was maintained by escape. SIB was lower during both control conditions than it was during the test (demand) condition. SIB was lowest during the alone condition. (Author/CR)

Discussion of cognitive behavioral interventions with abused children and adolescents covers use of cognitive therapy with adults, therapeutic processes in cognitive therapy, involvement of parents and carers in cognitive behavioral therapy, and cognitive schema and maltreatment. Application is made to types of abuse (physical, emotional, sexual)…

A brief negative-reinforcement assessment was conducted with five children (ages 4 to 14) with developmental disabilities with severe destructive behavior. Children were trained to engage in an escape response and were presented with a variety of stimuli. For each child, several stimuli were identified that may serve as effective negative…