Functional analyses were conducted with four individuals with profound mental retardation whose self-injurious behavior (SIB) had relapsed after successful treatment (also based on functional analysis). For three subjects, this second analysis revealed that SIB had acquired new or additional functions. Results suggest reasons other than program…

A long-term followup (from 26 to 57 months) of echolalia and correct question-answering was conducted with six mentally retarded adult subjects identified from three previously published studies. Echolalia was lower than in baseline in 80.6 percent of the followups. Issues related to the study of maintenance are discussed. (Author/DB)

In this study with three children (ages four and five) with severe developmental disabilities and aberrant behavior maintained by tangible positive reinforcement, noncontingent reinforcement, and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior were found to decrease the frequency of aberrant behavior while strengthening mands. (Author/DB)

This commentary outlines considerations in assessing (and programing for) social validity to attain results that are valued by client audiences. It discusses the objectives and contexts of several types of social validation, procedures for conducting a social validation, and questions addressed by researchers in assessing social validity. (JDD)

The study assessed whether 4 students (ages 9-13) with severe autistic disabilities could learn to use a self-management treatment package to reduce stereotypic behavior. Use of the procedures greatly reduced levels of stereotypic behavior. Improvement also occurred for extended periods of time in new settings without the presence of a treatment…

Functional analysis conducted during a 90-minute evaluation session identified maintaining variables for aggressive behavior and an alternative replacement response in 3 individuals with severe handicaps. During a subsequent contingency reversal phase, aggressive behavior was substantially reduced and alternative behavior increased. Results…

A functional assessment of tantrum behaviors of two students (ages seven and nine) with severe mental retardation found that the function of the behavior was to gain attention rather than to avoid or escape demands. Intervention, based on the positive reinforcement hypothesis, resulted in a substantial reduction of tantrums for both subjects.…

Antecedent conditions involving instructor's task demands and social comments were evaluated for three students with severe disabilities who exhibited problem behavior. An instructor emitted high rates of social comments and gradually faded in task demands. Social validity assessments indicated that substantial improvements were perceived in…

Issues that impact on the ability of behaviorists to be effective in solving social and community problems are discussed, including use of legislative initiatives to bring about behavior change, sustaining interventions with local resources, and the possible rewards from employing collaborative methods in behavioral research. (JDD)

This study examined a system for fading teacher prompts to children who served as peers in peer-initiation interventions for young children with disabilities (n=6). Results indicated that social interaction continued at the levels found during intervention and was maintained during a short maintenance period. (Author/DB)

This study of five young children with developmental delays or chronic health problems and with aberrant behaviors identified reinforcers that maintained aberrant behavior, used functional communication training to teach participants to gain reinforcement using mands, and implemented treatment involving choice making via manding. (JDD)

Two studies investigating effects of video-assisted training on employment-related social skills of three adults with severe mental retardation found that participants discriminated the target behavior on video, but effects did not generalize to the work setting for two participants until they rehearsed the behavior. (Author/DB)

This study evaluated whether behaviors often taught as part of social skills training for individuals with mental retardation were judged favorably by 61 community judges. Results indicated that the skills of following instructions, accepting criticism, and negotiating were relevant to judgment of social performance and likely to be reinforced by…

In this study, functional communication training alone and combined with extinction and/or punishment was evaluated for four clients with severe retardation, behavior problems, and communication deficits. Results showed that the combination of training plus punishment produced the largest and most consistent reductions in target behavior problems.…

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)