This study assessed the efficacy of using obsessions as reinforcers contingent upon nonoccurrence of inappropriate behaviors in four children (ages five and six) with autism. The most effective treatment was providing the obsession plus mild reductive procedures (such as time out). Use of obsessions alone and use of food reinforcers with mild…

This case study of a 7-year-old general education student with behavior problems illustrates how school personnel can implement high quality consultative services. Evaluation of a behavioral intervention (contingency contracting) indicated a significant decrease in disruptive behavior from baseline. Positive treatment effects were maintained at…

Demonstrates an alternative method (nondirective child-centered therapy) in treating enuresis and encopresis resulting from emotional disturbances. Examines various etiologies and approaches to treating these conditions. Provides a case study example. Claims that professionals must differentiate between primary and secondary occurrences of these…

Teachers used a nonexclusionary time-out package emphasizing ongoing participation to treat inappropriate social behaviors in 4 classrooms of roughly 16 preschool children each. Behavior improved in terms of several measures including direct observation. Opinions of treatment acceptability from a survey of 210 lay people were also found to support…

This review defines contingency contracting and describes its theoretical basis, examines empirical studies using contingency contracts to improve various school-related behaviors, discusses potential advantages and problems, provides recommendations to assist school personnel in effectively using contingency contracts, and suggests areas in need…

Ratings on the acceptability, intrusiveness, restrictiveness, and efficacy of 18 commonly used interventions for decelerating behaviors were obtained from 58 special educators of severely handicapped students. Results suggested a lack of confidence in intervention efficacy and a lack of discriminant validity for the constructs of restrictiveness…

A functional analysis involving interviews and direct observation was used to analyze the multiple disruptive behaviors of a kindergarten student. An intervention that combined reinforcement and teacher-cued self-monitoring procedures was implemented using an A-B-A-B withdrawal design. The procedures produced a significant decrease in the…

Describes a student-behavior-modification process and ongoing research project involving 650 of the highest risk youth from a population of 11,000 6th to 12th graders. After identifying at-risk students, researchers isolated routine problem behaviors and examined how they could be modified. Students work their way back to a regular school setting…

A brief biographical sketch of Burrhus Frederick Skinner is offered, followed by a review of his impact on education and psychology. His research in radical behaviorism, his theoretical contributions, development of programed instruction techniques, token economies, and numerous inventions by himself and his proteges are summarized. (PB)

Three mothers of children (ages 4-9) who had disabilities and exhibited serious behavior management problems were taught child management techniques and planned activities techniques, using in-home coaching and written prompts for use in generalization settings. Results suggested that such training is effective but needs to be individualized.…

Assertive discipline can help teachers develop more consistent and effective communication strategies for influencing student behavior. Over a nine-week period, two teachers using assertive discipline reduced the off-task and disruptive behavior of a male kindergarten student by defining behavioral limits and providing positive and negative…

Three experiments were conducted with two participants with mental retardation that displayed property destruction and stereotypy. The experiments assessed the function of the responses, determined their relationship, and developed a treatment to reduce property destruction. Response blocking reduced property destruction (and attempts), prevented…

A brief negative-reinforcement assessment was conducted with five children (ages 4 to 14) with developmental disabilities with severe destructive behavior. Children were trained to engage in an escape response and were presented with a variety of stimuli. For each child, several stimuli were identified that may serve as effective negative…

A study investigated the validity of the Questions about Behavioral Function, a checklist designed to assess antecedent behavior, using a sample of 398 persons with mental retardation and self-injurious behavior, aggression, or stereotypies. The checklist was used successfully to derive clear behavioral functions across all three target behaviors.…

Describes meta-analysis of 99 studies that used interventions to decrease disruptive classroom behavior in public education settings. Overall, results indicate interventions yield comparable results to other studies investigating effectiveness of psychotherapy. Findings show that efficacious treatments used in public school settings decrease…