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…

This review discusses the history of noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) and summaries findings from treatment research. It describes the use of NCR as a control procedure, NCR as a function-based treatment, considerations in the programming of NCR schedules, behavior-change mechanisms underlying NCR effects, and directions for future research.…

A cognitive treatment intervention was used with four men with learning disabilities who had been convicted of indecent exposure. Treatment dealt with the issues of accepting that the offense took place, taking responsibility, accepting the intention of the offending behavior, and victim awareness. All the men responded to treatment. (Author/CR)

A study examined the effects of progressive relaxation training on the disruptive behaviors of a 12-year-old boy with autism. The participant acquired progressive relaxation skills, displayed more relaxed behavior after performing the procedures, and showed a decrease in the duration of his disruptive behavior upon completing progressive…

Treatment of a woman with severe mental retardation with the Self-Injurious Behavior Inhibiting System (SIBIS) resulted in significant reductions in SIB behavior which generalized to the natural environment and the brief follow-up sessions. (Author/DB)

A study tested whether four students with mental retardation would substitute task-related behaviors for stereotypic behaviors when opportunity for active responding did or did not match level of motoric responding in a free-operant baseline. Students did substitute behaviors, with stereotypic behaviors occurring 1.5-14 times as much in the…

Three severely mentally retarded adolescents who exhibited repetitive hand movements were assessed during baseline (reinforcement for on-task behavior) and sensory change (rings on fingers of both hands, rings and reinforcement, and faded rings) conditions. Sensory change effectively reduced the target responses for up to four hours. (Author/JDD)

A study developed a systematic functional assessment package to reduce the stereotypy and self-injurious behaviors maintained by nonsocial reinforcement in two individuals with mental retardation. Differential reinforcement of zero rates of responding (DRO) procedures using stimuli within the targeted sensory classes were successful in eliminated…

The effectiveness of a video feedback and self-management package was assessed with various inappropriate behaviors exhibited by six adolescents with mild mental retardation. Participants evaluated their own videotaped behavior. Results showed a statistically significant decrease of the percentage intervals of inappropriate behavior when the…

Staff members (n=152) assigned to 76 clients with moderate to severe mental retardation in Norway received training in behaviorally oriented treatment and assessment. Results did not support the hypothesis that training in treatment and assessment would produce greater improvement in client behavior than would training in treatment alone.…

This paper reviews the use of self-management procedures such as self-monitoring, self-administering consequences, and self-instructing with students having developmental disabilities. The paper explores definitions of self-management, various self-management procedures, effectiveness in changing behavior, and effectiveness in maintenance and…

This analysis of the effects of self-management training on the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of skills of persons with mental retardation found self-management training to be useful in promoting the maintenance of behavior change first effected by external control procedures. Training effectiveness may depend upon the cognitive and…

This study analyzed and compared the behavioral procedure standards of 39 state departments of special education and 41 state departments of developmental disabilities/mental retardation. Results are discussed in terms of systematic monitoring of procedures, staff training, procedures to increase behavior, prohibiting/restricting procedure use,…

A say-do-report correspondence training was implemented to break the functions of present conditions given by a history of contingencies maintaining chronic inadequate patterns of behavior in two adolescents with mental retardation and language deficits. All behaviors changed and were maintained, even after eliminating the components involved in…

A function-based behavioral treatment package was developed for an 18-year-old male with mild mental retardation in a specialized inpatient unit for treatment of severe destructive behaviors associated with school refusal behavior. Treatment goals were achieved relatively quickly and follow-up data indicated treatment effects were durable.…