Compared the effectiveness of behavioral (BT) or physical therapy (PT) for treating chronic low back pain (CLBP), for 13 BT patients and 12 PT patients. Treatments were conducted in a group outpatient setting. Posttreatment results showed general improvement for patients in both groups, but few treatment-specific differences in outcome measures.…

Evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral marital therapy (BMT) in aiding distressed couples (N=30) and explored the relative effectiveness of cotherapists versus single therapist. Results affirmed the overall effectiveness of BMT. A cotherapy team and a single therapist were equally effective. No differences were found between immediate therapy…

A rationale is presented for using a coping-skills training approach with college students who face important environmental demands. Two case examples of college students suffering from test anxiety illustrate the effectiveness of brief therapy approaches in teaching coping skills. (Author/CJ)

A review of traditional (such as psychotherapy) and behavioral approaches (such as self-monitoring and reinforcement) to obesity treatment of mentally retarded students led to the conclusion that the behavioral orientation was more successful. Implications for initiating such programs include thorough training, voluntary participation, and parent…

Studies dealing with toilet training of severely/profoundly retarded persons are reviewed since the systematic operant approach of N. Azrin and R. Foxx in 1971. Replications are said to be few in number and equivocal in results, although modifications with retarded and nonretarded populations have produced informative and innovative approaches.…

Twenty-nine food service employers were provided with a behavioral description of either a handicapped or nonhandicapped worker and asked to state their acceptance of select training procedures. Results indicated employers differentially accepted the use of some training procedures based upon worker description. (Author/SB)

Evaluated the effects of overt rehearsal and homework practice on covert modeling treatment of social skills. Nonassertive clients (N=79) received a combination of overt rehearsal and homework practice. Clients who engaged in homework practice and/or overt rehearsal of assertive behavior within the treatment sessions made consistently greater…

One of the competencies needed by teachers working with mainstreamed handicapped students is behavior management. The inservice system offers excellent opportunities for providing teachers with continued updating of their professional skills. (JN)

An illustrative selection of measures appropriate for use in evaluation of cognitive-behavioral interventions designed to improve adjustment is reviewed in terms of specifying level and impact level assessments. The need to consider factors operative within the school situation is also discussed. (Author/GK)

Evaluated the use of a Multimodal Behavior Therapy (MBT) orientation in group counseling of aged subjects. MBT techniques centered on identifying problems of group members and defining how the problem affected the person. Results indicated that group-counseled aged subjects showed a significant reduction in reported problems. Includes…

Three group-oriented contingency systems (interdependent, dependent, and independent) were compared to evaluate each system's effectiveness in controlling the disruptive behavior of a self-contained classroom of 12 educable mentally retarded elementary-aged children. Interdependent and dependent group contingency systems were more effective than…

This report describes the introductory psychology demonstration showing conditioned taste aversion in rats based on those animals' inability to distinguish between safe NaCl and toxic LiCl solutions. Test results showed the established phenomena of classical conditioning. Included is a discussion of the experiments relevance to behaviorist…

A model for school psychologists is presented for conceptualizing and intervening in parent-handicapped child relations. Proposals are made for applying this perspective in conducting efficient and potentially useful assessment and intervention procedures. (Author/RL)

Compared smoking treatment programs using negative (recording number of cigarettes smoked) v positive (recording number of urges resisted) self-monitoring. Subjects demonstrated significant reduction in smoking frequency compared with no treatment. Findings were maintained at follow-up. Findings question the positive and negative labels used to…

Stress-related disorders account for many of today's illnesses and disabilities. People with disabilities are confronted with many additional potentially stressful situations not experienced by the nondisabled population. Rehabilitation practitioners need to teach relaxation skills to their disabled clients as part of the rehabilitation process.…