This study examined the effectiveness of using qualitatively different reinforcers to teach self-control to an adolescent boy who had been diagnosed with an intellectual disability. First, he was instructed to engage in an activity without programmed reinforcement. Next, he was instructed to engage in the activity under a two-choice fixed-duration…

Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) is used frequently as a treatment for problem behavior. Previous studies on treatment integrity failures during DRA suggest that the intervention is robust, but research has not yet investigated the effects of different types of integrity failures. We examined the effects of two types of…

Five students, aged 10-11, with serious emotional disturbances and/or learning disabilities, recorded their attentive behavior and academic productivity. Then performance was assessed under a choice condition, the treatment program was faded, and maintenance was probed. Results revealed that both treatments produced and maintained improvements in…

This study examined the effects of methylphenidate drug therapy and differential reinforcement on the disruptive behavior and task engagement of 3 children (ages 6 through 11) with mental retardation. Results indicated that both interventions were effective for two of the children. No evidence of an additive or synergistic effects of the two…

Effects of self-monitoring on-task behavior, academic productivity, and academic accuracy were assessed with six elementary school students with learning disabilities. Although all three interventions yielded arithmetic improvements, self-monitoring academic productivity or accuracy was generally superior. Differential results were obtained across…

A self-management intervention package was used with preschoolers with developmental delays. Self-assessment of performance resulted in increases in active engagement across all participants during training, but generalization to classrooms was sporadic and short-lived. When recruitment of teachers' contingent praise was added, treatment effects…

This study, with 4 parent-child dyads in which the children (ages 9 to 11) exhibited substantial homework problems, found that goal setting and contingency contracting produced significant improvements in children's homework accuracy. Two of the subjects showed substantial improvements in on-task behavior. Parents rated the procedures highly.…