Seven adults with severe to profound mental retardation participated in match-to-sample discrimination training under three conditions. Results indicated that error-correction procedures improve performance through negative reinforcement; that error correction may serve multiple functions; and that, for some subjects, trial repetition enhances…

Twelve mothers were videotaped interacting with their children, aged 13 months, and 100 maternal utterances were coded for pragmatic intent. Prescriptives were coded as either changing or following the child's focus of attention. Results show that, given a joint focus, directing a 13-month-old's behavior can have beneficial effects on subsequent…

Nursing staff (n=166) in four nursing homes participated in quasi-experimental study to measure knowledge and attitudes about urinary incontinence and compliance with toileting protocols. Intervention group (n=96) showed slight increase in knowledge; their attitudes remained positive over four testing times. Compliance with protocol was only 72…

This replication study found that only 16 of 55 raters agreed on the category of reinforcement maintaining a disabled individual's self-injurious behavior after using the Motivation Assessment Scale. Additionally, only 15 percent of the correlation coefficients obtained were above 80 percent, and none of the reliability scores was above 80…

Compared effects of token reinforcement, cognitive behavior modification, and direct instruction on learning-disabled elementary school students' mathematics skills. Treatment was provided to 94 students for 4 weeks in daily 1-hour sessions. Significant differential gain between treatment and direct instruction groups in achievement test scores…

A broad spectrum behavior therapy approach was used to treat physical aggression in 5 brain-injured males (ages 18-28). The approach employed high density reinforcement, reinforcer sampling, environmental control, selection of appropriate responses, inconvenience review, self-control training, and self-monitoring. All five subjects showed…

This paper examines the functions of challenging behavior in individuals with mental retardation, methods for determining the function of a particular behavior, strategies for implementing initial communicative functions that compete with challenging behavior, and procedures that specifically address attention-motivated and…

Home-based and school-based programs that have presented sexual abuse prevention information through films, theatrical presentations, books, lectures, and behavioral skills training are evaluated. Results of program evaluations have shown that behavioral skills training packages are the most effective method of teaching self-protection skills and…

This study presents three cases of adults with profound developmental disabilities in which assessment data showed that self-injurious behavior occurred in at least two test conditions and describes a method used to analyze the effects of treatments based on hypotheses of multiple control. (Author/DB)

This study effectively eliminated face-slapping behavior in a 10-year-old boy with severe developmental disability and autistic characteristics. The subject wore wrist weights for up to 30 minutes each day. Face slapping did not occur during a follow-up check conducted five months after study completion. (Author/DB)

Gathered data on Canadian university counselors' (n=80) preferred theoretical orientation and their ranking of three most influential counselors/psychotherapists. Results indicated sample was predominantly eclectic in theoretical orientation, with person-centered and cognitive-behavioral orientations in second and third places. Rogers, Beck, and…

Red Light-Green Light is a levels system providing immediate behavior modification feedback and varying privilege levels throughout the school day for primary students with behavior disorders. This article presents guidelines for implementation, covering development of classroom rules, classroom expectations, and system maintenance. Tips for…

This commentary affirms that the methodology proposed in a paper by Richard A. Winett and others (EC 601 539) may be useful in conducting social validity assessments and applying these assessment data to improve behavioral interventions. The study of accurate and valid assessment of consumer satisfaction is encouraged. (JDD)

Considers three treatment approaches when working with children of rage: psychodynamic, behavioral, and peer-group models. Discusses approaches in sequence, following chronology of author's own experiences in psychodynamic, behavioral, and peer-group programs. Illustrates how each approach presents unique pitfalls in practice. (NB)

Notes that most individuals who receive treatment for alcohol or other drug problems fail to maintain abstinence. Sees it as essential that school counselors be aware of relapse prevention strategies and use these strategies proactively when adolescents complete treatment. Discusses strategies, adapted from work using cognitive-behavioral…