The diets of three individuals with profound mental retardation and histories of coprophagia (ingestion of feces) were supplemented with a nutritionally complete elemental diet called Vivonex, resulting in decreases in the frequency of coprophagia in all three cases. (DB)

The effects of two levels of exercise (walking versus jogging) in suppressing the self-stimulatory behavior during academic programming of a 5-year-old boy with autism were examined. Decreased physical self-stimulation and "out of seat" behavior were found only for the jogging condition. Sharp reductions in these behaviors did not return…

The article describes a participant observation study with two kindergarten classes which focused on explaining child behavior in terms of its context. Case studies of three children illustrate alternative interpretations of behavior problems when seen from the point of view of the child or a nonauthoritarian adult "child's aide." (DB)

This study compared the effects of unequal and equal reinforcer duration during a functional analysis of aberrant behavior in an 11-year old with moderate mental retardation. Results showed that reinforcer duration affects the rate of aberrant behavior and may potentially alter functional analysis interpretation. (DB)

Two case examples (a toddler with severe developmental delays and a 7-year old with severe mental retardation) illustrating effects of meal schedule and food quantity on displays of problematic behavior are offered. Brief functional analyses of aberrant behavior provided useful information for interpreting distinct patterns of behavior. (DB)

A brief functional analysis indicated that the object mouthing of a young girl diagnosed with autism was maintained independent of social consequences. Separate and combined effects of response blocking and non-contingent reinforcement were then evaluated as treatments. Although both interventions were unsuccessful when implemented separately,…

Obscene verbalizations in an individual with traumatic brain injury were treated using stimulus fading as the singular form of intervention. Results of a functional assessment revealed the obscenity was maintained by negative reinforcement. Stimulus fading (the gradual reintroduction of instructional demands) produced immediate and substantial…

This case study focused on an adult with severe disabilities and multiple problem behaviors fitting a pattern of behavioral escalation. Functional assessment indicated that use of rule statements by the teacher was related to occurrence and escalation of problem behaviors. Elimination of rule statements was an effective instructional intervention…

The study found significant improvements in behavior when a profoundly mentally retarded blind subject was reinforced with music. The young woman also discriminated among different types of music, and behavior rates varied accordingly. (Author/DB)

A simultaneous presentation procedure to select reinforcers was implemented with two four-year-old twin boys who were developmentally delayed, noncompliant, and mute. Use of the procedure quickly and efficiently identified preferred reinforcers which were then used in an instructional task. (DB)

This study compared the relative efficacy of providing simultaneous or delayed reinforcement on food acceptance during meals with a seven-year-old boy with pervasive developmental disorder and a history of food selectivity. Although both procedures were effective, the simultaneous reinforcement procedure produced more rapid behavior change and a…

This study compared rates of self-injurious behavior (SIB) exhibited by a 32-year-old woman with profound mental retardation across conditions in which access to restraint was either continuously available, presented as a consequence for SIB, or unavailable. Rates of SIB increased when access to restraint was contingent upon SIB, suggesting that…

Four studies analyzed eye poking behavior of a youth with profound disabilities. Results demonstrated substantive reductions in the frequency of eye poking when goggles were worn and when a video game was provided as a competing source of visual stimulation and as a reinforcer. Music was less effective in reducing eye poking. (Author/DB)

Functional analysis of the aggressive behavior of 2 boys (ages 10 and 12) with autism involved 20 brief functional assessment trials in the classroom under 3 conditions. Results showed a clear pattern in each child's aggressive behavior and suggested logical intervention strategies. The discrete-trial approach presented a practical, ecologically…

Discussion of the functional relationship between self-injurious behavior (SIB) and self-restraint in people with severe disabilities considers SIB and self-restraint as members of the same functional response class, SIB and self-restraint as functionally independent responses, access to self-restraint as positive reinforcement of SIB, termination…