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…

This handbook describes the use of corporal punishment, attitudes towards it, and alternatives to it. Topics covered include: (1) a definition of corporal punishment; (2) descriptions and examples of different types; (3) a brief history of its use in schools and society; (4) arguments in favor of its use; (5) arguments for abolition; (6)…

Overcorrection is a mild punishment technique that provides for logical consequences of inappropriate behaviors. The method has two components--restitution, during which a disruptive environment is reinstated to a state vastly superior to the original one, and positive practice, during which more appropriate responses are taught to replace the…

Paradoxical strategies appear to provide a change in the dynamics of the teacher-child relationship and are thus a more systemic way of viewing problem behavior than time-out procedures. Three case studies are presented in which the paradoxical strategies have varying degrees of success. (Author/ABB)

Two case studies are presented illustrating how the treatment program eliminated rumination with effects maintained 1 to 9 months following treatment, and how substantial weight gain was also demonstrated with one S who had previously lost weight. (Author/DLS)

Investigated the relationships of problem behavior, emotions, and psychosocial factors using a three-dimensional model of three elements: positive/negative coping resources, rebellion from/ conformity to adult norms, and secretive/obvious behavior. Found that the model fit for both genders. Results suggest that males who do not have positive…

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…

Functional analyses of problem behavior for 4 young boys with developmental delays showed that problem behaviors were maintained by both negative and positive reinforcement. Functional communication training was conducted with one set of training stimuli in which the child's mother presented a work task in the family living room. Pretreatment…

Effects on the academic and disruptive behavior of special education pupils after adding a cost contingency to a token reinforcement procedure were examined. Response rates were higher when response cost was added than during either the baseline or token reinforcement contingency. (Author/MV)

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…

This digest explores some of the reasons for spanking, examines its effectiveness, and suggests alternative discipline methods. Many parents believe that spanking will teach children not to do things that are forbidden, stop them quickly when they are being irritating, and encourage them to do what they should. Others believe nonphysical forms of…

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…