Reviews the types of elective mutism and proposes common characteristics of elective mutists' families. Examines the potential for a redefinition of the term "elective mutism." Concludes that family dynamics are an integral part of the problem and need to be considered in a comprehensive treatment plan. (BH)

Contingencies operating in the health care industry can have direct effects upon applications of behavioral technology to the hospital treatment of psychiatric patients. Although behavioral technology has made little impact upon the general practice of psychiatry, shifting economic and political contingencies may favor the specificity,…

Research at the University of Pittsburgh will concentrate on developing assessment instruments and accompanying instructional strategies (including behavior modification training for parents) for autisiclike preschool children and their families. (Author/CL)

Administered participant modeling (PM) alone, PM with simultaneous self-instructional training, PM with self-verbalization, or placebo treatment to phobics (N=36) to determine whether cognitive treatment would enhance the effectivenesss of PM. Results showed that the three PM treatments produced equivalent improvement in behavior and the placebo…

An individual free token/response cost system was used to decrease the stuttering of an elementary-level student. Reasons for the effectiveness of this technique may include its provision of immediate feedback, use of visual cues, and simple recordkeeping. (Author/CL)

The present study suggests that parent training alone, or methylphenidate alone, are both sufficient to produce noticeable, clinically significant improvements in behavior of hyperactive children. The research did not show, however, that a combination of treatments is any more effective than either treatment alone. (Author/GC)

The case study demonstrates the use of negative reinforcement for initial response conditioning of a seven-year-old deaf, blind, physically handicapped boy. A systematic procedure for reinforcer sampling failed to identify items for positive reinforcers. A procedure for removal of an aversive stimulus (negative reinforcement) was then successfully…

This article discusses the differences between nomothetic and ideographic approaches to assessment, suggests that neither model is complete in itself, and presents some principles for making single subject investigations more reliable and valid. (Author)

Comments on article by Ray E. Hosford in same issue. (Author/CJ)

Presents five principles which yield predictions about deterrence of illegal acts by the use of negative sanctions in the form of testable hypotheses, including intensity, temporal proximity, availability of reward, schedule of delivery, and availability of alternative behaviors. Suggests application of any principle of punishment is premature…

The relationship between cognitive strategy and theoretical constructs associated with cognitive style, cognitive behavior modification, and metacognition, particularly regarding the education of learning disabled students, is examined. Future research directions, including the relationship between a tactual repertoire and metacognitive status,…

Described is a milieu teaching approach to language development of young handicapped children. The method involves prompting and contingent delivery of reinforcers during normal language interactions in such classroom settings as free play, lunch, or instructional periods. (MC)

The Institute at Virginia has focused its efforts on learning disability (LD) children with attentional problems with emphasis on cognitive behavior modification techniques. Studies included investigations of metacognition, information processing, self-recording of task-related behavior, and strategy training. Adult-child interactions and…

Six overweight female mentally retarded adolescents and adults were in a behavioral weight-reduction program which involved instructiog mothers in seven group meetings and Ss themselves in six group meetings. Results showed that treatment group members lost significantly more weight than did control group members according to all three dependent…