This study evaluated effects of noncontingent and contingent protective equipment as treatment for self-injurious hand mouthing by two women with profound mental retardation. Behavior change appeared to be effected in both conditions. Results suggest either a punishment or a timeout interpretation, rather than an extinction interpretation, for the…

A point system was developed to reinforce appropriate study habits and behaviors of secondary students with learning disabilities and behavior disorders. The system functioned as a bank, with students depositing their points and earning weekly interest on points saved. Students could also use points to conduct financial transactions at the…

A fading procedure was successfully used to maintain high levels of compliance obtained with presenting high-probability requests immediately antecedent to low-probability requests in both a 5-year-old boy with developmental disabilities and a 15-year-old girl with developmental disabilities (for whom rephrasing of "don't" requests to…

A modified functional analysis was used to assess the behavioral function of a profoundly retarded man's self-injurious behavior (SIB). Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior effectively reduced SIB and related behavior problems, while compliance of a self-care acquisition task increased markedly. (Author/DB)

The severe self-injurious behavior of a woman with profound mental retardation was treated with 3.5 milliamps of shock combined with reinforcement and extinction techniques, with minimal results. Treatment with the Hot Shot Power Mite, which delivers 18.5 milliamps, combined with reinforcement for compliance and extinction of self-injurious escape…

This study, with an 11-year-old male with severe mental retardation, investigated the effectiveness of selectively implementing punishment for only the most severe topographies of aggression and property destruction, whereas less extreme behaviors were ignored. Results indicated that severe behaviors were reduced to near-zero levels only when both…

This article provides a general description of the features and steps of the functional behavioral assessment (FBA) process. It is organized around frequently asked questions and provides information on who conducts an FBA, when an FBA should be done, the components of an FBA, and outcomes of an FBA. (Contains references.) (CR)

Four preschool children who exhibited aggressive methods for resolving social interaction conflicts were taught a problem-solving strategy. Results found that acquisition of the problem-solving strategy influenced the types of alternative solutions the children provided to social interaction conflicts. Students produced more prosocial resolutions…

Fourteen studies were reviewed to examine the utility, acceptability, and practicality of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) conducted with students with high-incidence behavior problems in school settings. Results indicate FBA was effective, that FBA could be performed in typical school environments, and that FBA produced socially valid…

Solution-focused intervention deviates from using negative labels (angry, aggressive, or shy) to describe misbehaving students, and reframes behavior descriptions more positively. Four steps (goal setting, looking for exceptions, visualizing a new life story, and practicing the desired behaviors) are vital to facilitating positive behavior…

A study explored the perceptions of 12 administrators and policy makers, 13 family members, 12 friends, and 9 adults with challenging behavior and mental retardation and/or autism, 7 researchers, and 13 teachers regarding current behavioral information and dissemination. Results indicate a continued gap between research and practice. (Contains…

This study evaluated the effects of choice making within functional communication training (FCT) to increase the task engagement of two participants with inappropriate behaviour. Pretreatment functional analyses indicated that both participants' inappropriate behaviour was maintained by escape. For one of the participants, inappropriate behaviour…

The Level System is a whole-classroom approach for managing disruptive behavior that utilizes behavioral management strategies such as a token economy, response cost, stimulating rewards, and strategic attention. Using an ABACC' treatment comparison design with follow-up, this study evaluated the effectiveness of the Level System in a preschool…

This article reports on aspects of an evaluation of Team-Teach--a "whole setting, holistic" approach to behaviour management in a range of childcare environments. A distinctive feature of Team-Teach is that it includes training in both de-escalation skills and physical interventions, known as "positive handling strategies". The…

The broad term "pervasive developmental disorder" (PPD) describes a set of symptoms that occur along a continuum of severity; these symptoms are often referred to as "autism spectrum disorders" (ASDs). Little is known about the incidence and prevalence of ASDs among students who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). Teachers of DHH students, who must…