Abrupt discontinuation of functional communication training can cause resurgence of challenging behavior. Teaching multiple alternative responses in sequence ("serial training") may reduce resurgence, relative to teaching a single alternative. However, previous evaluations of serial training included a different number of response…

The primary focus of the present experiment was to study participants' self-talk during conditional discrimination training and test for the emergence of conditional relations consistent with equivalence. Eighteen adult participants were exposed to either a Many-to-One (MTO) or a One-to-Many (OTM) training structure arranged as a 6-s delayed…

The study, involving two severely retarded adolescents, investigated whether matching to sample is capable of extending equivalence classes with spelling responses. In preliminary training, Ss were taught the matching to sample procedure by having them match color patch samples to identical color patch comparisons. The experimenters then trained…

The study investigated the effect of object preference on the learning of signs by 12 severely and profoundly retarded children (4-7 years old). Signs were chosen that were two-handed, symmetrical, and abstract. Training of each sign consisted of 10 individual training sessions using operant techniques. Results revealed no differences in the…

A series of three experiments was conducted with three severely retarded children to investigate the vocalization-producing potential of two antecedent conditions: adult talk (commonly cited antecedent) and adult silence. (Author/CL)

Proposed is a means of modifying soiling behavior of students (in grades K-3) in a regular classroom. Outlined are daily measurement, baseline, contingency, and teacher training procedures for the system involving verbal praise and activity time rewards. Also described are the evaluation design, special learning materials, and generalization and…

Visual screening, a mildly aversive response suppression procedure in which the child's eyes are briefly covered, was evaluated across two studies for its effectiveness in reducing topographically similar and dissimilar stereotypic behaviors of four moderately or profoundly retarded children (aged 9 or 13 years). (Author)

Examined relationships among locus of control, specificity of instruction, and verbal conditionalibity on self-referenced affect in a counseling analogue interview. Results indicated that specific instructions combined with verbal conditioning procedures produced the greatest increase in self-referenced affect for both internal and external…

Findings provide no evidence that parent training classes in behavior modification and effective communication produce substantial differences in outcome. Interpersonal needs, rather than the type of educational module, dictate the tendency for persons to remain in the training program. (Author)

To study improvement of visual monitoring of retardates, specialized training methods backed up by incentives were used. The extent to which these training techniques might be expected to produce results which would generalize was explored. Subjects were eight female mental retardates (ages 15-22) with IQs from 38 to 69. (Author/SJL)

A study investigating the discrimination abilities of two crib-bound, cerebral palsied, profoundly retarded females demonstrates the importance of individual differences among such children and suggests that discriminative responding may be demonstrated by at least some profoundly retarded children, particularly if distributed practice is employed…

A 21-year-old woman who was totally blind, severely hearing impaired, functionally retarded, behaviorally resistive, self-stimulative, self-abusive, and who lacked basic communication skills, was taught to sit quietly and wait on command. (Author/PHR)

Self-induced vomiting in a severely retarded visually impaired adult was reduced by consistent application of restitutional overcorrective strategy. (Author/CL)

Upright walking posture was successfully trained, maintained, and transferred to a new setting in a 28-year-old profoundly retarded adult. An apparatus in the S's cap and vest provided reinforcement (radio) when the S's head was up. The first four phases of the study demonstrated stimulus control in the training setting, while the next nine phases…

Presented are six case studies demonstrating the application of operant conditioning principles to teaching self-care skills and modifying deviant behavior in six moderately to profoundly retarded children 5- to 15-years-old in Japan. Included in the case histories, such as that of a moderately retarded 12-year-old who was toilet trained, are…