In this study, 11 males with autism and mental retardation were administered risperidone. Substantial clinical improvement was noted almost immediately; patients with aggression, self-injury, explosivity, and poor sleep hygiene were most improved. The modal dose for optimal response was 0.5 mg bid. Weight gain was a significant side effect.…

Eighty-five British mothers of children with autism who were acting as therapists for their child's program completed a questionnaire. Results indicated that, although program variables were unrelated to maternal therapeutic self-efficacy, support received from the program, the severity of the child's autism, and maternal stress were significant…

Describes a behavior analytic program for preschool children with autism, the University of California, Los Angeles, Young Autism Project. It reviews outcome data, replication and dissemination efforts, frequently voiced concerns, and future directions. It concludes that, based on existing scientific evidence, increasing the availability of…

A study used direct and indirect methods to assess and treat several topographies of the aggression of a 7-year-old boy with severe mental retardation and pervasive personality disorder. Functional communication training with extinction reduced all forms of aggression except chin grinding, which was reduced by an alternative treatment. (Author/CR)

A study investigated the impact of rhythmic entrainment on an 11-year-old girl with autism who engaged in head jerking and screaming. Rhythmic entrainment intervention was more effective when she exhibited behavior that resulted from a moderate level of stress and less effective when stressors were more severe. (CR)

This article describes the successful treatment of sleep problems in a 5-year-old boy with autism. The intervention was based on behavioral principles and involved the parents attending an individually run parent training program. The parents learned how to use a bedtime routine, reinforcement, effective instructions, partner support strategies,…

A study involving four boys (ages 8-9) with developmental disabilities and autism found that a four-step procedure (functional analysis, descriptive assessment, establishing operations analysis, and follow-up evaluation), was effective in identifying methods of instruction that decreased the likelihood of destructive behaviors without disrupting…

Two studies involving five students (ages 9-17) with autism found that stereotypy was multiply determined or occurred across all assessment conditions (attention, demand, no-attention, and recreation conditions) and that the presumed association between response topography and behavioral function may be less important than previously realized.…

This article reviews two instructional strategies, derived from applied behavior analysis, designed to develop meaningful social relations for children with autism. The literature on the implementation and effectiveness of teaching peers to be intervention agents and using group-oriented contingencies is reviewed. Emphasis is on the social…

Effects of extinction and negative reinforcement on latency of responses (including aggression and self-injurious behavior) following activity requests to an adolescent girl with mental retardation and autism were evaluated. Results showed that latencies occurred in a predictable order. The response class was expanded to include an appropriate…

This article describes several features important in the success of using a behavioral model when treating individuals with autism and presents remaining issues to be addressed for improving treatment effectiveness. It urges future research to include strict empirical designs that allow for sound inferences regarding the parameters of treatment…

This critical review examines 10 controlled studies in which traditional operant behavioral procedures were compared with normalized interventions for teaching language to young children with autism. It concluded that normalized language training was substantially more effective than discrete-trial training and yielded more positive parental…

Examines the utility of visual cues as a form of antecedent management for promoting task engagement and lessening the effects of severe and challenging behavior among children with autism. Specific guidelines for designing and implementing activity schedules are described, and a case study is presented. (Author/CR)

A survey (N=22) of the effects of early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) for young children with autism analyzed case reviews and parent questionnaires. Data failed to support any instances of "recovery" while still yielding a high degree of parental satisfaction with the treatment. Continued dependence on extensive educational and related…

A repeated-measures, waiting list control design was used to assess efficacy of a social skills intervention for autistic spectrum children focused on individual and group LEGO[C] play. The intervention combined aspects of behavior therapy, peer modeling and naturalistic communication strategies. Close interaction and joint attention to task play…