This paper looks at current research into how thinking influences learning. How people explain to themselves "why" they fail and succeed inevitably impacts on how well they learn new skills. Researchers have been developing attribution retraining programmes targeted at improving student academic achievement and learning experience…

The complex and extensive deficits associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders, in concert with the substantial increase in prevalence over the last three decades, combine to present a challenge to individuals, families, communities, and government that has few parallels. This challenge is complicated by debate among service providers concerning…

This study evaluated how children who exhibited functionally equivalent problem and appropriate behavior allocate responding to experimentally arranged reinforcer rates. Relative reinforcer rates were arranged on concurrent variable-interval schedules and effects on relative response rates were interpreted using the generalized matching equation.…

This article describes a data-informed intervention to close the gap between student and teacher perceptions of school rules and improve student behavior. The student and teacher agreement realignment strategy was pilot tested over 36 weeks with 10 middle school students receiving services for special education in the eligibility category of…

This case study explores the possibility of affecting classroom behaviors by modifying the classroom environment. Although this type of research previously has been conducted in self-contained special education classrooms (Guardino, 2009), this is the first study to explore modifications in an inclusive classroom. The results of this study align…

Background: Interactive training (IT) is one of the two staff training components of the active support (AS) model. The present study explores how effective IT is when offered to staff divorced in time from the AS workshops, the other training component. We explored the effects of IT on resident activity engagement, challenging behaviours and…

Administrators in early care and education programs often turn to training initiatives to bolster staff competence in supporting children with emotional and behavioral challenges. However, training alone rarely results in the wide-ranging changes these administrators seek. This article presents a flexible approach to training, consultation and…

Objective: To examine the effects of patient adherence on outcome from exposure and response prevention (EX/RP) therapy in adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Method: Thirty adults with OCD were randomized to EX/RP (n = 15) or EX/RP augmented by motivational interviewing strategies (n = 15). Both treatments included 3 introductory…

This article examines the Black male crisis thesis promulgated by the social science literature, public policy, and mainstream discourse, respectively. The authors contend that the stock-story that the majority of African American males are "at-risk" for engaging in self-destructive behavior or on the verge of extinction perpetuates a discourse of…

This paper focuses on the integration of Motivational Interviewing (MI) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in the treatment of eating disorders. Although CBT is regarded as the treatment of choice in this population, it nevertheless has limitations: some patients fail to engage, drop out from treatment prematurely, or simply do not improve.…

Parents (N = 21) of children with autism spectrum disorders responded to a survey on adherence to skills instruction and problem behavior management strategies they had previously been observed to master in a standardized training curriculum based on the principles of applied behavior analysis. Survey items were guided by existing models of and…

A review of international research literature on teacher strategies for effective intervention with students presenting social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) is presented. Particular attention is given to evidence defining the qualities and skills of effective teachers and the value of behavioural and cognitive behavioural…

After an initial functional analysis of a participant's aggression showed unclear outcomes, we conducted preference and reinforcer assessments to identify preferred forms of attention that may maintain problem behavior. Next, we conducted an extended functional analysis that included a modified attention condition. Results showed that the…

The current authors reply to a response by Bowers on a comment by the current authors on the original article. Bowers (2010) mischaracterizes the goals of parallel distributed processing (PDP research)--explaining performance on cognitive tasks is the primary motivation. More important, his claim that localist models, such as the interactive…

Vasovagal sensations (e.g., dizziness, nausea, and fainting) are one of the main reasons people find blood donation unpleasant. A better understanding of predictors of vasovagal sensations during blood donation could inform interventions designed to increase donor return rates. The present investigation examined the extent to which experience with…