This paper discusses specialized approaches developed for patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who are resistant to cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Following a review of theoretical and outcome research, two approaches developed to resolve persistent OCD are described and illustrated. Cognitive therapy (CT) designed to address…

Objective: Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for children has been shown efficacious, but community access to it is often limited by the lack of trained therapists. This study evaluated a child, CBT-focused, 20-session weekly group supervision seminar with a didactic component which was provided to community mental health practitioners by…

This article presents principles and basic steps for practitioners to complete a functional analysis of client behavior. The emphasis is on application of functional analysis to adult mental health clients. The article includes a detailed flow chart containing all major functional diagnoses and behavioral interventions, with functional assessment…

Five case studies illustrate the use of generalized compliance training with students who have severe behavior problems. Based on extinction and generalization processes, the approach consists of five phases: (1) assessment to determine the nature and severity of noncompliance; (2)initial instruction demonstrating the consequences of compliance…

The article reviews definitions, examples and techniques for implementing prompting and fading techniques with handicapped individuals. A review is also made of the research evidence describing the effectiveness of various methods of prompting: verbal, gesture, modeling, physical, combination, test-teach, and both within and extrastimulus…

With federal mandates to develop and implement programs for students with disabilities who have behavior problems that impede their educational performance, school personnel are faced with increasing responsibility for developing individualized interventions. Developing interventions that appropriately, effectively, and efficiently address the…

Video modeling interventions involve a child watching videotapes of positive examples of adults, peers, or him- or herself engaging in a behavior that is being taught. The purpose of this review was to examine empirical studies in which video modeling interventions were applied to individuals with autism. Nineteen studies published between 1985…

The article describes the procedures and variables involved in planning, implementing, and evaluating timeout with exceptional students. Among steps considered are defining the target behavior operationally, analyzing situations, and determining type of timeout and supervision. (CL)

Shaping behavior by reinforcing a series of successive approximations is discussed, and procedures for promoting internal shaping in children are described. Instructions are given for the "shaping game," by which parents and children can learn the techniques. (CL)

Anger is a natural and healthy human emotion when managed effectively. But it can be a source of various physical, mental, emotional, social, or legal problems when not managed effectively. It is often a problem in one of these areas that brings a client in for counseling, either on a voluntary or a mandated basis. As a counselor, there are…

Difficulties in the behavioral approach to language intervention with autistic children include extensive staff time and lack of functionality in the language trained. Intervention, whether through speech or an augmentative system such as sign language, should be focused on producing functional language in communicative interaction. (CL)

The trend in school psychology services is a shift from an emphasis on an assessment-based paradigm to one of consultation problem-solving and behavioral intervention. A critical component of consultation-derived interventions and behavior change is "treatment integrity." Treatment integrity (or fidelity) refers to the extent to which an…

Pima County's (Arizona) Domestic Violence Diversion Program (DVDP) provides assessment and monitoring services, counseling and education, and support services to defendants in cases of domestic violence in lieu of prosecution and sentencing. After a defendant is arrested for domestic violence, the DVDP assessment is scheduled within 72 hours of…

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)

Twelve factors should be considered in justifying techniques selected for treating aberrant behavior in persons with mental retardation. The factors include motivational variables, treatment effectiveness, side effects, abuse potential, treatment restrictiveness/intrusiveness, treatment precedence, social acceptability, regulatory factors, staff…