Background: Peer mentoring can be a powerful complement to health instruction. Mentoring has been used to change health behaviors and promote sustainable lifestyle patterns in adults and, more recently, among adolescents. Purpose: This article reviews the use of peer mentoring to promote health practices and describes how this approach can be used…

Provides an overview of the theoretical and technical components of covert positive reinforcement and reviews the experimental literature to ascertain the efficacy of CPR and to evaluate the operant basis for the technique. The empirical evidence confirmed the effectiveness of CPR in modifying analogue and clinical target behaviors, but challenged…

This review discusses the history of noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) and summaries findings from treatment research. It describes the use of NCR as a control procedure, NCR as a function-based treatment, considerations in the programming of NCR schedules, behavior-change mechanisms underlying NCR effects, and directions for future research.…

Ethical issues confront behavior therapists in a variety of ways, and must therefore be defined. Being objective means being willing to change the mind even if belief is reinforced by the verbal community. Similarly, acting in a morally correct way sometimes means acting contrary to reinforcing practices. (PJC)

The paper discusses efforts to reduce maladaptive behaviors in retarded persons including seven desirable characteristics of behavioral change agents, programmatic factors contributing to failure (such as a reactive rather than active intervention model), appropriate use of reinforcement, reasons clients misbehave, and research based suggestions…

A preview of statistical data from previous studies determined the benefits of positive reinforcement on learning in students from kindergarten through college. Results indicate that differences between reinforced and control groups are greater for girls and for students from special schools and that reinforcement appears to have a strong effect…

This review analyzes data-based studies dealing with self-management procedures (self-monitoring, self-evaluation, self-reinforcement, and self-instruction) used by individuals with mental retardation in public school settings. Although support is found for the positive effects of self-management, questions regarding efficient implementation of…

This article reviews the functional assessment paradigm in relation to students with serious emotional and behavioral disorders who have well developed cognitive abilities and linguistic skills. Based on the needs of these students, the Assessment Intervention Process, a system for facilitating the development of effective positive behavior plans…

The paper addresses behavior management strategies for developing new behaviors in special needs learners, strategies for changing existing behaviors, and strategies for developing behavioral generalization. An introductory overview identifies five basic principles of behavior management. Fourteen behavioral terms are then defined (e.g.,…

A retrospective review of 51 studies from 22 journals (1976 to 1990) concerning generalization of social skills training with preschool children was conducted. Strategies employed by the most successful studies were identified, such as addressing functional target behaviors; using prompts, positive reinforcement, and feedback strategies; and…

An emerging literature on school-wide Positive Behavior Support (PBS) in urban settings suggests the utility of PBS in addressing student social development while decreasing the need for disciplinary actions (i.e., office disciplinary referrals [ODRs]). This research represents a significant addition to, and expansion of, this literature by…

This report summarizes activities and findings of a federally funded center at the Research Triangle Institute (North Carolina) reviewing current knowledge concerning nonpharmacological interventions for improving educational outcomes for students with attention deficit disorders (ADD). For each of the seven topics reviewed, the report provides a…

This book, prepared in response to a request from the United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, reviews the published literature on positive behavior interventions and uses this database to provide four main content areas for research. Positive behavior support (PBS) is defined as an approach for dealing with…

Reviews research studies that involved computer applications in behavior analysis. Highlights include interactive videodisc; teacher benefits of computer applications; studies involving retarded students; behavioral treatment for obesity; multimedia; adaptations of computer hardware and software; automated data collection; reinforcement of…

This paper is designed to help educators understand research findings on promising interventions for students with a history of behavior problems. It reviews programs for preventing such problems from recurring among children and adolescents with chronic antisocial behavior. Findings from the review indicate: (1) assessment of the student's…