Treatment with two setting condition manipulations and use of a visual occlusion helmet was found to decelerate intense screaming by a 16-year-old girl with developmental disabilities. Cranial pressure was found to be the critical element in self-control, and replacing the helmet with a headband was found to be effective in maintaining behavior…

This article first reviews concerns over the use of psychotropic medication and the use of diagnostic criteria with persons with developmental disabilities and notes the variety of potential diagnoses that may underlie a behavior disorder. A model to guide clinical decision making is developed that stresses the importance of reliable differential…

This article reviews general classes of variables which help to maintain aberrant behavior including attention seeking, sensory and perceptual consequences, and access to materials or activities. Suggestions for a methodology providing a comprehensive functional analysis are offered which include descriptive analysis, hypothesis forming,…

This article summarizes and critically analyzes the literature on self-restraint (in which a mentally retarded individual restricts or prevents motion of a body part), particularly its identification, etiology, modification, and relationship to self-injurious behavior. The paper examines the hypotheses of negative reinforcement and stimulus…

A study compared the effectiveness of two extinction interventions, extinction by omission and noncontingent delivery of reinforcement, to treat aggressive behavior with a 10-year-old boy. Analysis revealed that aggression was maintained by positive reinforcement in the form of attention. Noncontingent reinforcement of attention produced a more…

Sleep patterns of 30 individuals with self-injurious behavior and mental retardation were compared to 30 matched controls residing in the same residential facility who did not self-injure. Individuals with self-injury slept significantly less than individuals without self-injury. Neurochemical dysregulation in sleep disturbances among individuals…

To investigate stress among parents of mentally retarded children (aged 6-17) who demonstrate behavior disorders, 17 children who demonstrated disruptive behavior and 22 who did not, and their families, were assessed. Levels of children's pathology and aspects of family climate predicted the parental stress, pinpointing different variables for…

Analog baselines are an experimental methodology for identifying the functions of maladaptive behavior of individuals with developmental disabilities in naturally occurring environments. This article identifies potential limitations of this methodology, including: fidelity of baseline design conditions, a narrow analysis of behavior, and limited…

This paper reviews the functional properties and procedural variations of differential reinforcement for the reduction of behavior disorders in individuals with developmental disabilities. The paper proposes that limited success may be a result of the arbitrary relationship that exists between reinforcers and target behaviors when behavioral…

We compared partial-interval recording (PIR) and momentary time sampling (MTS) estimates against continuous measures of the actual durations of stereotypic behavior in young children with autism or pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified. Twenty-two videotaped samples of stereotypy were scored using a low-tech duration recording…

Twelve individuals (ages 3-43) with severe/profound mental retardation and life-threatening self-injurious behaviors were exposed to electrical aversion treatment using a remotely controlled device. With seven individuals, suppression of the behavior was nearly complete in that physical restraints were no longer necessary. With three individuals,…

This paper reviews the literature on functional assessment in the behavioral treatment of aggression in persons with mental retardation or developmental delays. Increased use of functional assessment and skill training is noted but no concomitant decrease in the use of intrusive procedures. (Author/DB)

A study of 233 individuals with severe mental retardation examined the validity of the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped-II (DASH-II) through correlation with the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC). DASH-II as a whole was found to have a high degree of convergent validity with the ABC total score. (CR)

This study examined the effectiveness of self-operated auditory prompts when used to decrease the off-task and aberrant behaviors of two 19-year-old students with moderate mental retardation. Previous findings were replicated to demonstrate that stimulus control can be achieved through self-operated auditory prompts in school and community…

The Reiss Screen for Maladaptive Behavior was factor analyzed in 2 institutional samples and 1 community sample of persons with mental retardation (total n=353). Factor analysis revealed no strong justification for the instrument's seven scales. An alternative three-factor solution, comprising intrapersonal maladaptive behavior, psychotic…