A common recommendation for implementing time-out procedures is to include a release contingency such that the individual is not allowed to leave time-out until no problem behavior has occurred for a specific amount of time (e.g, 30 s). We compared a fixed duration time-out procedure to a release contingency time-out procedure with 4 young…

We sought to address limitations of prior research that has isolated choice as an independent variable. Children's preferences for the opportunity to choose were evaluated in a concurrent-chains arrangement in which identical consequences were available in choice and no-choice conditions. Results demonstrated that preference for choice, in and of…

The purpose of the current study was to replicate the use of parents as therapists for experimental functional analyses of inappropriate mealtime behavior with multiple participants while measuring procedural integrity. Clear functions were identified, and high percentages of procedural integrity were obtained. (Contains 1 figure.)

Factors that influence choice between qualitatively different reinforcers (e.g., a food item or a break from work) are important to consider when arranging treatments for problem behavior. Previous findings indicate that children who engage in problem behavior maintained by escape from demands may choose a food item over the functional reinforcer…

A study of four students (ages 7-12) with severe disabilities found that tasks identified by teachers as being lower preference were associated with higher rates of problem behavior than were higher preference tasks. For two students, problem behavior rates were lower when students (not teachers) selected the lower preference activity. (Author/CR)

The study sought to identify some of the variables controlling the severely aggressive behavior of two severely retarded children (ages 9 and 14). Experiments conducted under various conditions showed that, while aggressive behaviors sometimes serve as an escape function, the behaviors can be terminated through reduction of the causative situation…