We analyzed the inappropriate social interactions of 3 students with Asperger's syndrome whose behavior was maintained by social positive reinforcement. We tested whether inappropriate social behavior was sensitive to social positive reinforcement contingencies and whether such contingencies could be reversed to increase the probability of…

Three participants whose problem behavior was maintained by contingent attention were exposed to 45-min presessions in which attention was withheld, provided on a fixed-time (FT) 15-s schedule, or provided on an FT 120-s schedule. Following each presession, participants were then tested in a 15-min session similar to the social attention condition…

Two students with severe disabilities were alternately presented with interspersed high-compliance requests and social comments as antecedents to low-compliance requests. Analysis found similar positive effects on compliance for interspersed requests and social comments. The effectiveness of social comments was related to the time interval between…

Two studies analyzed the effects of preceding setting events on the problem behavior of 2 students (ages 20 and 22) with severe disabilities. Results indicated that the occurrence of preceding setting events was related to higher frequencies of problem behavior, and interventions designed to eliminate preceding setting events were consistently…

This study compared types of differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO), namely, reward DRO (reward for omission of problem behavior), escape DRO (termination of instruction contingent on omission of problem behavior), and combined DRO. The combined DRO approach was most effective in reducing behavior problems of three adolescents with…

Antecedent conditions involving instructor's task demands and social comments were evaluated for three students with severe disabilities who exhibited problem behavior. An instructor emitted high rates of social comments and gradually faded in task demands. Social validity assessments indicated that substantial improvements were perceived in…

Two studies involving five students (ages 9-17) with autism found that stereotypy was multiply determined or occurred across all assessment conditions (attention, demand, no-attention, and recreation conditions) and that the presumed association between response topography and behavioral function may be less important than previously realized.…

The effects of combining positive behavior supports and person-centered planning on the problem behavior and general education participation of three students (ages 6-8) were examined. Two of the students increased or maintained high levels of general education participation and showed decreases in problem behavior. (Contains references.)…

Four studies analyzed eye poking behavior of a youth with profound disabilities. Results demonstrated substantive reductions in the frequency of eye poking when goggles were worn and when a video game was provided as a competing source of visual stimulation and as a reinforcer. Music was less effective in reducing eye poking. (Author/DB)

This study found that, in a task context, differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) effectively reduced problem behavior and increased task performance of 2 adolescents with severe disabilities (ages 15 and 19), whereas a time-out procedure was ineffective. In a leisure context, time-out was effective while DRO was ineffective.…

This article presents criteria researchers should consider when seeking to establish a socially valid understanding of problem behavior. Criteria include determining if behavior change is demonstrated in typical settings and whether the intervention promotes movement in the least restrictive environment, is conducted by families and/or school and…