A behavior therapy program based on a self-control model of depression was evaluated against a nonspecific group therapy condition and a waiting list control group. Depressed volunteer female subjects (N=36) were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental conditions. Self-control subjects improved on specific measures of self-control…

Behavioral strategies appropriate for use with students having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are discussed and grouped into antecedent manipulations (such as physical arrangement and peer tutoring); consequent manipulations (reprimands, teacher attention, and contingency contracting); and cognitive behavioral interventions…

This article discusses the difficulties some individuals with developmental disabilities have in responding to behavioral treatment and suggests an alternative to traditional behavioral treatment programs. It describes the use of the accommodation approach in which an individual's environment is rearranged to prevent or lower the occurrence of…

This case study evaluated an antecedent intervention for tantrums by a five year-old girl with cognitive, language, and motor problems. Functional assessment correlated tantrums with high-demand activities but not with novel staff. Intervention placed novel staff in charge of high-demand activities and successfully eliminated tantrums, which…

Randomly assigned 54 body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) subjects to cognitive behavior therapy or no treatment. BDD symptoms were significantly decreased in therapy subjects and the disorder was eliminated in 82 percent of cases at posttreatment and 77 percent at follow-up. Subjects' overall psychological symptoms and self-esteem also improved. (RJM)

Evaluated the hypothesis that the apparent superiority of behavioral interventions among children is due to differences in the methodological quality of studies of behavioral and nonbehavioral treatments. Meta-analytic results found little support for this hypothesis. Because meta-analysis is a correlational technique, these results should be…

Compared the effectiveness of a school-home note with and without response cost on the disruptive and on-task behavior of three preadolescents. Inclusion of response cost was associated with marked improvements in attentiveness and stabilization of disruptive behavior as compared with that obtained with a traditional school-home note. (LKS)

Systematic implementation of a peer-mediated self-evaluation procedure to improve the recess behavior problems of three second-grade boys was evaluated. Clear improvements in the boys' behavior were found, which were maintained as the self-evaluation procedure was systematically faded. In addition, treatment effects generalized to another recess…

Examination of staff responses to problem behaviors in three community-based group homes found that staff tended to rely heavily on verbal approaches to address problem behavior of people with intellectual disability, using other strategies only when the initial response failed. Findings suggest that staff behavior is negatively reinforced by the…

A national survey of 147 institutions for individuals with mental retardation found that 68 percent of the institutions had used at least 1 of 3 specified treatment options to deal with behavior problems. Results indicated that, in comparison to in-house behavior shaping units and mobile intensive treatment teams, specialized outside referral…

Twenty studies using cognitive-behavioral interventions to influence social behavior of children and adolescents were critically reviewed, using six criteria: subject characteristics, treatment specification, outcome measures, experimental design, generalization and maintenance, and cost effectiveness. It is concluded that cognitive-behavioral…

A self-management approach (utilizing self-counting of behaviors, corrective verbal feedback, and contingent verbal praise) was effectively used to reduce stereotypical body rocking in a congenitally blind young adult. Positive results were maintained, with replacement of overt counting with covert counting and immediate with delayed feedback as…

A case study assessed the efficacy of extinction of parental attention on nighttime crying of a 2-year-old Dutch child with a physical disability. Parents of the child were instructed to ignore nighttime crying. Extinction of parental attention was effective in the elimination and long-term maintenance of nighttime crying. (Author/CR)

This case study reports use of ignoring, positive reinforcement, passive restraint, and time-out in treatment of a 10-year-old girl with profound retardation and disruptive behaviors in home and classroom. Time-out was the most effective intervention with all three target behaviors, with improved behaviors maintained for at least six months.…

Functional assessments were conducted for two Irish individuals with severe disabilities and aberrant behavior. A modified attention condition was introduced, which involved both parents interacting with a third person. Aberrant behavior occurred only in the modified attention condition. Successful treatment consisted of delivery of attention on a…