Frequency of repetitive and/or restricted behaviors and interests (RRBIs) was assessed in 140 adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and severe or profound intellectual disability (ID). The associations of gender and age range were analyzed with RRBI frequency which was obtained using the Stereotypies subscale of the "Diagnostic…

The variability of stereotypic body-rocking motions of eight adults with severe/profound mental retardation was examined through kinematic analysis and compared to a matched nonretarded group of adults. Inter- and intra-individual variability was, on average, higher for the individuals with mental retardation. Results suggest that low variability…

The phenomena of the induction and entrainment of adjunctive behaviors was investigated in 8 people (ages 5-51) with severe or profound mental retardation who exhibited stereotypic behaviors. Seven of the eight demonstrated evidence of schedule-induced stereotypic behavior, whereas five also showed evidence of the entrainment of these behaviors by…

Results suggested that although overcorrection is a valuable technique in reducing stereotyped behavior in profoundly retarded adults, the overcorrection responses (e.g., restitutional acts, positive practice, functional movement training) may not increase in the absence of specific reinforcement contingencies. (DLS)

The prevalence of compulsions in 210 adults with severe/profound mental retardation was studied. Prevalences were as follows: stereotypy (60.9 percent), self-injury (46.6 percent), and compulsion (40 percent). The occurrence of compulsions was positively associated with the occurrence of stereotypy, self-injury, and stereotypy plus self-injury.…

Twenty-seven severely mentally retarded patients, all of whom manifested body-rocking in their normal ward environments, were systematically observed. (SBH)

Five experiments with severely retarded noncompliant males made use of behavioral momentum to increase compliance. A series of commands with which the subject was very likely to comply were issued immediately prior to issuing a low-probability command. Results indicated increased compliance and decreased compliance latency and task duration.…

This study evaluated a method for assessing the behavioral function of severe self-injury in four adults with severe/profound mental retardation. Initial assessment included analyzing within-session trends and fluctuations in rates of self-injury by plotting the frequency within each minute of the session. (DB)

A study of the sleep patterns of 28 people with severe or profound mental retardation and epilepsy found atypical sleep stages with significant depletion of REM sleep and a predominance of indiscriminate non-REM sleep. Sleep diaries completed by caregivers reveal lengthy sleep periods, especially among those with profound mental retardation.…

The study involving 12 severely retarded adults (five males and seven females) was conducted to determine the effect of music on the body-rocking manifested by Ss in their ward environments.(SBH)

This case study applied functional assessment methods to problem behavior of an adult male with severe mental retardation within the natural home setting. The problem behaviors did not occur when the subject was able to participate in a more preferred activity regardless of whether he chose the day activity program or it was chosen for him. (DB)

In a group of 20 severely to profoundly mentally retarded adults, an interactional dominance hierarchy was obtained by observing the frequency of patient contacts, the duration of contact, and the frequency of contact initiation. It was found that 17 of the 20 patients studied displayed territorial behavior. (Author)

Sleep patterns of 103 institutionalized individuals with profound mental retardation were explored. Almost 40% were found to have short-sleep patterns. Short-sleep was predicted by blindness; nonshort-sleep was predicted by diagnosis of cerebral palsy and sodium valproate usage. Techniques for minimizing possible negative consequences of…