Twelve individuals (ages 3-43) with severe/profound mental retardation and life-threatening self-injurious behaviors were exposed to electrical aversion treatment using a remotely controlled device. With seven individuals, suppression of the behavior was nearly complete in that physical restraints were no longer necessary. With three individuals,…

Meta-analysis of 482 empirical studies on treatment of problem behaviors of individuals with mental retardation found that externally destructive behaviors are less successfully treated than socially disruptive and internally maladaptive behaviors. Also, response contingent procedures were significantly more effective than other procedures.…

A study assessed the utility of a social story intervention to improve the lunchtime eating behaviors of an adolescent with Asperger syndrome. The social story program resulted in a decrease in the number of food and drink skills and an increase in the frequency of appropriate mouth-wiping during school lunch. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

The TFA model focuses on behavior as interaction of thoughts, feelings, and actions, and seems to be useful in understanding circumstances contributing to substance abuse. TFA's Helping Cycle, which contains six stages: (1) assessment; (2) interpretation; (3) intervention; (4) probing; (5) deliberating; and (6) closing, provides a procedure to…

Documents three problems with the behavioral adaption explanation (BAE) that, taken together, suggest that it cannot account for the probing effect, i.e., the finding that sources interrogatively probed appear more honest to message recipients than nonprobed sources. (TB)

Three experiments involving three adults with profound mental retardation whose self-injurious behavior (SIB) was maintained by automatic reinforcement, examined interactions between stereotypic SIB and the manipulation of objects that appeared to provide substitutable sources of reinforcement. Attempts to reduce SIB using the preferred objects as…

A study of three individuals with self-injurious behavior (SIB) evaluated a device designed for restraint fading with individuals who display hand-to-head SIB. Results demonstrated that stimulus control of SIB occurred in all individuals subsequent to restraint fading. The study also examined the effects of the rigid arm sleeves and restraint…

Concerns about noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) are illustrated in a case study of a 13-year-old girl with severe mental retardation who was demonstrating severe aggression. Her NCR treatment produced an extinction burst and incidental reinforcement. A brief omission contingency was added to the reinforcement schedule, which resulted in decreased…

Presents several new rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) songs. Claims that the songs may be used in both academic and therapeutic settings as a humorous way to address cognitive distortions or irrational beliefs. Reports that students and clients have responded favorably to these songs. (RJM)

Two studies investigated self-injurious behavior (SIB) in a man with profound disabilities. Results indicated that the rate of SIB varied depending on contextual conditions and behavioral state, and a treatment plan that involved manipulation of the environment depending on behavioral states and the use of Fluphenazine reduced SIB. (Author/ CR)

Examines contextual variables that affect treatment integrity. Considers change agent contingencies and describes a matrix of social interaction patterns among target children, direct change agents, and indirect change agents. Proposes that strategies described in the literature are equally applicable to change agents that increase fidelity of…

This article describes Behavioral Risk Management (BRM), a community-based, wrap-around model, that incorporates both internal and external management strategies to meet the unique needs of adolescent and adult males with developmental disabilities who exhibit inappropriate or offensive sexual behaviors. Key components of BRM are discussed, along…

A multiple probe design across activities was implemented with a 32-year-old with severe developmental disabilities to teach him to request assistance to gain release from nonpreferred difficult activities. Generalization occurred to other tasks associated with escape. No generalization occurred in tasks that the learner engaged in challenging…

Results of a functional analysis indicated the self-injurious behavior (SIB) of a 12-year-old with severe mental retardation was maintained by escape from demands and access to listening to music. The effects of the presence and absence of music and a putative establishing operation were investigated. The presence of music was correlated with…

This article presents information on the symptoms and signs of adolescent depression and proposes some types of prevention approaches practical in the school setting. Describes specific cognitive-behavioral therapy strategies that can be integrated into school-based prevention and intervention activities. (Contains 50 references.) (GCP)