An extensive literature on the causes of challenging behaviors has been developed, primarily in the applied behavior analysis literature. One hundred and seventy-three empirical studies were reviewed where functional assessment serves as the primary method of identifying these causes. Most of the studies were able to identify a clear function or…

In the context of instructional demands, compliance and problem behavior can be considered concurrent operants. Of applied interest is increasing one response (i.e., compliance) while decreasing the other (i.e., problem behavior). Strategic arrangement of reinforcement can alter response allocation accordingly. Such schedules can also influence…

This study determined the effectiveness of noncontingent escape access to self-reinforcement, as a student-directed intervention. Three students successfully used a break card to systematically decrease inappropriate behavior maintained by negative reinforcement while increasing task engagement. In addition, teachers completed an Intervention…

Two punishment procedures were compared to determine their effectiveness in reducing rates of noncompliance in a class of 11 educable mentally retarded elementary school students. (Author/DLS)

Examined are two alternatives to the use of electric shock to control destructive or repugnant behaviors in severely retarded or schizophrenic children: continued use of noncorporal punishment, and widescale application of appropriately arranged contingencies of positive reinforcement. (KW)

A brief negative-reinforcement assessment was conducted with five children (ages 4 to 14) with developmental disabilities with severe destructive behavior. Children were trained to engage in an escape response and were presented with a variety of stimuli. For each child, several stimuli were identified that may serve as effective negative…

Effects of extinction and negative reinforcement on latency of responses (including aggression and self-injurious behavior) following activity requests to an adolescent girl with mental retardation and autism were evaluated. Results showed that latencies occurred in a predictable order. The response class was expanded to include an appropriate…

Extinction effects were evaluated in a multiple baseline across behaviors design with 2 boys (ages 7 and 8) with disabilities after just one of several target problem behaviors was observed during a functional analysis. Other target behaviors emerged as extinction was introduced sequentially across all problem behaviors. (Contains three…

The study compared the relative effectiveness of different procedures (two potentially positive and two potentially negative reinforcing procedures) for decreasing response durations in three severely retarded 14- to 20-year-old women who were severely disruptive and noncompliant. (Author)

Sixty mediators from British schools for children with mental retardation watched one of five matched videos depicting no self-injury, self-injury maintained by positive reinforcement, self-injury maintained by negative reinforcement, and self-injury unrelated to social events. Self-injury maintained by negative reinforcement was associated with…

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…

PAPERS OR STUDIES CONCERNED WITH THE APPLICATION OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PRINCIPLES TO CHILDREN AND RETARDATES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY. AUTHORS ARE LISTED ALPHABETICALLY. A SHORT PARAGRAPH DESCRIBES THE GENERAL NATURE OF EACH STUDY CITED, AND BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES ARE GIVEN. THERE ARE 130 ENTRIES IN THIS BIBLIOGRAPHY. (MS)