The article discusses areas of behavioral gerontology that would profit from additional research, such as self-management, community caregiver training, and geriatric behavioral pharmacology. Considerations for adapting behavioral procedures for the elderly are discussed, and suggestions for expanding the role of behavior analysis in geriatric…

Two male stroke victims (ages 63 and 67) whose verbal disorders impaired social interactions and suggested the need for nursing home placement were treated by teaching spouses to reinforce positive and ignore undesired verbal responses. Problem behaviors were reduced sufficiently to permit continued home care, and alternative positive behaviors…

Use of primarily reinforcement-based behavioral procedures decreased aggressive pinching in a 10-year-old severely retarded female to near-zero levels. Procedures included differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO), DRO plus timeout, DRO plus response prevention, and differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior. Results were…

Forty-eight teachers and 48 parents evaluated the effectiveness and acceptability of five behavioral procedures for reducing disruptive child behavior. Teachers rated all strategies more highly than parents. Reinforcement and isolation and contractual agreement were rated highest. Procedures were rated as more acceptable for 5-year-olds than for…

Many children have all sorts of difficulties in their lives, which set up barriers to learning. This book demonstrates how teachers can help them face personal challenges. It contains: ideas for stress proofing children; guidance on teaching problem-solving skills; and explanations of cognitive behaviour therapy.

This investigation attempts to determine whether or not elementary school student's inappropriate classroom behavior can be altered through the use of a video self-modeling procedure (VSM). The frequency of inappropriate behavior was observed from videotapes and recorded for twenty six subjects, thirteen of whom were placed in a VSM group and…

Tactics to deal with growing violence in schools have usually relied on removal of the offender by suspension or placement outside of the mainstream classroom. However, educators and psychologists are considering the prevention of violent behavior as both a more humane and cost-effective response to the problem. The relationship between school…

Tourette's syndrome, which includes the compulsive vocalization of obscene words, has been attributed to both organic and psychological factors. Although no conclusions about the etiology of the behavior could be drawn, the operant nature of the symptoms was demonstrated in the present case study in the manipulation of responses by varying…

Characteristics of a behavioral approach to remediating academic deficits of learning disabled (LD) children are reviewed. The behavioral approach encompasses individualization and mastery learning, direct teaching, and an emphasis on measurement. (SEW)

The effects of teacher praise, ignoring, time-out, and parental contingencies on the number of inappropriate behaviors of two mentally handicapped (IQ's 55 and 51) male students ages seven and nine were investigated in a one-year study. Both students reduced inappropriate noise and behavior, and the frequency of inappropriate behavior remained…

Determined whether values clarification or behavioral counseling was more effective in reducing maladaptive and interfering behaviors among ninth-grade male students. Subjects (N=96) were assigned to values clarification, behavioral counseling, placebo, or no treatment groups. Results indicated values clarification and behavioral group counseling…

Compared the effects of cognitive-behavioral treatment, behavioral treatment or an attention-control condition on 27 non-self-controlled children. The cognitive-behavioral intervention improved teachers' ratings of self-control and children's self-reported self-concept. Off-task verbal and physical behaviors suggested treatment efficacy.…

Illustrates the use of a response cost token system to decrease inappropriate behaviors of mainstreamed students in the regular classroom. Data were taken on a student's inappropriate request for teacher attention and another student's inappropriate verbalizations. Employed a reversal design. Results showed response cost token system as effective.…

Practical techniques for the teacher to help the child deal with behavior problems and learn to establish self-control include: (1) positive reinforcement; (2) ignoring unpleasant behavior; and (3) setting realistic short-term goals. Methods for helping the student to develop better work habits and for squelching disruptive behavior are described.…

Excessive "too-goodness" in a child can lead to obsessive neuroses which result in compulsions or ruminations. The only effective treatment is early prevention, culturally, socially, and behaviorally. Children must understand that all excesses are bad. Being bad is sometimes good. Being too good can be unhealthy. (Author/BEF)