The review and synthesis of the literature on self-injurious behavior examines characteristics, causes, and both psychological and behavioral management strategies. Six suggestions for educators are offered. (DB)

In this study with three children (ages four and five) with severe developmental disabilities and aberrant behavior maintained by tangible positive reinforcement, noncontingent reinforcement, and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior were found to decrease the frequency of aberrant behavior while strengthening mands. (Author/DB)

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 study examined effectiveness of posted numerical feedback on disruptive hallway behavior occurring among middle school students. Posting alone was found to have little effect on student behavior, but paired with verbal praise and feedback, posting was associated with more positive effects on student behavior and noise levels. (Author/PB)

An attempt to replicate previous studies showing a positive effect of antecedent exercise on problem behavior found no consistent changes in problem behaviors for six adults with severe mental retardation exposed to either daily jogging or leisure games (attention control). (Author/DB)

A cognitive behavior management approach was used with an eight-year-old boy with congenital blindness who exhibited body rocking. Results suggest that body rocking could be significantly reduced by having the subject develop and use a self-monitoring script in conjunction with an alternate behavior to rocking. (JDD)

Fourteen autistic children (ages 5-13) were administered Org 2766 (a synthetic analog of the adrenocorticotrophic hormone 4-9) or a placebo for 4 weeks. The hormone appeared to decrease stereotypic behavior and increase such behaviors as "change toys,""locomote," and "talk," though Aberrant Behavior Checklist ratings…

This review of the literature on functional assessment and treatment of challenging behavior in children and adults with developmental disabilities first discusses functional assessment methods and then research issues, including informant assessment, direct observation assessment, and experimental (functional) analysis. The implications of this…

The prevention, prediction, and management of crises with students having emotional/behavioral problems is addressed. Three phases of crisis management are identified: precrisis, during the crisis, and postcrisis. Techniques to reduce the frequency of behavioral crises and effective interventions are suggested. (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)

Explains the use of videotape recordings to provide examples of self-modeling for the purpose of student behavior change. Reviews research on the efficacy of videotaped self-modeling (VSM), technological requirements, editing, arranging the videotaping, using self-modeling as a positive behavior support, and precautions and challenges. (DB)

Provides information on the time-out research in hopes of enabling school psychologists to use, and train others to use, time-out more effectively when indicated by the data from a behavioral or functional assessment. The guide may also serve as a heuristic for those wishing to conduct research on the use of time-out in the classroom. (Author/MKA)

Two studies examined the effects of musical manipulation on the challenging behaviors of two children and one adult with severe/profound mental retardation. First, high-rate challenging behaviors were identified and then fast- or slow-beat music was added. Challenging behavior was more frequent when slow-beat music was played. Affect also varied…

A community-based intervention program was tested with 181 children ages 6-12 and their mothers exposed to intimate partner violence during the past year. A sequential assignment procedure allocated participants to 3 conditions: child-only intervention, child-plus-mother intervention (CM), and a wait-list comparison. A 2-level hierarchical linear…

Previous research suggests that performance feedback improves treatment integrity. This study compared the effects of verbal performance feedback and verbal plus graphic performance feedback on implementation of a student-specific behavior support plan (BSP) by members of a second-grade teaching team at a public elementary school. A consultant to…