So it appears that the experimental analysis of behavior (EAB) could benefit from intervention aimed at increasing its translational footprint, thus promoting continued recognition and support as a valuable social enterprise. The author greatly appreciates Critchfield's ("Translational Contributions of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior," "The…

Responds to M. Stanton's comments on the current author's original article. One of the puzzles of motivational interviewing is why it works at all. How can it be that an individual interview or two yields change in a long-standing problem behavior even without any effort to alter social context? The time involved is such a tiny part of the…

The notion of differentially reinforcing low rates of undesirable behavior (DRL) is examined. Further, the status of the full session DRL strategy as alternative to punishment is questioned in context of a strictly operant definition of punishment. A reexamination of the data from some studies reveals the possibility that Ss respond to said DRL…

Contingency management programs for modifying aggression in children are strong methods of short-term behavior change in treatment settings but are less than successful when transferred to other settings. Future research should compare cognitive with noncognitive behavioral programs and test the effectiveness of cognitive and noncognitive…

Belke and Spetch's (1994) work with pigeons on choice between reliable and unreliable reinforcement is discussed. Hypothetical applied examples address variables that influence preference for unreliable reinforcement, including signaling and its context, conditioned reinforcement, and duration of reinforcement schedules. Implications regarding…

Application of the ecological model to children with behavioral problems focuses on the degree to which behavior matches the demands, expectations, or levels of tolerance of individuals in the environment. Such individuals as well as the child may need to change their behaviors. (DB)

This commentary responds to a critique (EC 610 642) of a study on professional acceptability of various treatment procedures for challenging behaviors exhibited by individuals with disabilities. The commentary asserts that treatment options should be evaluated in terms of probability of success, time factors, distress caused by the procedure, and…

The ecological approach to working with young children with behavior problems is described. A hypothetical case study is offered to demonstrate the shortcomings of nonecological approaches and the benefits of a broader outlook when intervening with children with behavior problems. (DB)

Reviews research on problem behavior in adolescence. Discusses implications of this research, distinguishing between different stages in the process by which problem behavior emerges and separates "preventive" from "corrective" forms of intervention. Discusses implications for social policy. (Author/ABL)

A new approach to behavioral control with individuals having both visual impairments and multiple disabilities stresses the use of positive intervention strategies, bases treatment on functional assessments of challenging responses, and emphasizes broad changes in the lifestyles of individuals. Case examples illustrate applications. (Author/DB)

This commentary outlines considerations in assessing (and programing for) social validity to attain results that are valued by client audiences. It discusses the objectives and contexts of several types of social validation, procedures for conducting a social validation, and questions addressed by researchers in assessing social validity. (JDD)

A teacher recounts his work to help a troubled child (who was causing classroom disturbances) learn to make friends and gain peer acceptance. (CB)

Presents a personal anecdote illustrating how a teacher learned to control an attention-seeking student who was disruptive in the classroom. (MD)

The nature and value of behavior modification depends, crucially, on what assumptions one makes about human nature and the explanation of human behavior. It is very easy for a teacher practicing behavior modification to assume unquestioningly a deterministic view of human nature. (RM)

This discussion of positive behavior support for people with disabilities identifies four themes: (1) behavior support should reduce problem behavior and affect how a person lives; (2) functional assessment is the foundation for understanding patterns of problem behavior; (3) behavior support should be comprehensive in structure and scope; and (4)…