The paper surveys the use of electric shock with persons diagnosed as primarily mentally retarded and substantiates findings of positive effects, including response generalisation, increased sociability, and positive emotional behaviors. Ethical considerations relating to physical danger and choice of target behaviour are discussed briefly.…

The author relates contemporary work on imitation and training to the historic contributions of Itard and Sequin. (RD)

Four supervisors working in a sheltered workshop for developmentally disabled adults participated in a behavior management program. Tests of durability of the altered behavior at three months and six months after completion of training showed that three supervisors had maintained low levels of attending to inappropriate trainee behaviors. (Author)

This paper reviews the rationale and behavioral interventions commonly used for teaching compliance to individuals with mental retardation and the role of ethics in the use of such interventions. The paper examines issues in deciding whether compliance is an appropriate objective for an individual and whether interventions designed to achieve…

Technicians participating in a behavior modification demonstration project with severely retarded institutionalized persons were encouraged to generalize the techniques they learned during limited daily trials to the control of resident movement behaviors in the intervals between trial periods. (KW)

A behavior modification treatment program, using a combination of reinforcement of positive behaviors and a time out procedure, was effective in reducing deviant and psychotic-like behaviors in a 12-year-old girl with an IQ of 23. (KW)

Four interdisciplinary staff teams at a public residential facility for persons with mental retardation improved the timeliness of submitting evaluation reports during a period when timeliness was reinforced. Performance deteriorated during the nonreinforcement phase. (Author/DB)

A significant increase in correctly completed steps of the targeted behavior was noted for the independence-training group. (Author/DLS)

Evaluated with 18 attendants in an institution for the mentally handicapped were several teaching formats: modeling, instructions, videotape feedback, or film, videotape modeling, filmed modeling, or live modeling, or control. (Author/DB)

A behavior modification program in toilet training, utilizing reinforcing properties of music, candy, cold drinks, and television was instigated with institutionalized (nontoilet trained) males, ages 15-20 , who were profoundly, severely and moderately mentally handicapped. Eleven experimental and 11 control subjects were involved. A Toileting…

Examined the most effective usage of videotape in job interview skill training for 24 mentally retarded young adults utilizing the microcounseling model of instruction. Data revealed the microcounseling model is most effective with the two skill areas of eye contact and body posture regardless of the method of videotape utilization. (Author)

Behavior modification programs with a profoundly retarded 7-year-old boy developed a self-feeding operant, taught him to respond appropriately to a verbal command, and greatly increased his ability to stand without support. (Author/KW)

The Training Proficiency Scale, designed to evaluate the competence of a trainer utilizing operant conditioning techniques with the mentally handicapped, is described in terms of its need, development, reliability and validity qualities, and four areas of assessment (shaping behavior, rewarding, communicating, and rapport). The scale is presented…