The paper discusses efforts to reduce maladaptive behaviors in retarded persons including seven desirable characteristics of behavioral change agents, programmatic factors contributing to failure (such as a reactive rather than active intervention model), appropriate use of reinforcement, reasons clients misbehave, and research based suggestions…

Details theoretical standpoint, procedures, and instruments used to evaluate school-based substance abuse prevention in New York City. Discusses outcome measures and argues that the process by which the outcome behavioral change was achieved must be explored before the outcomes are certified as beneficial and appropriate for an educational…

Meta-analysis of the effects of 11 types of psychologically based organizational interventions showed that such programs raise worker productivity. The strength of effects vary by type of intervention, criterion of productivity, contextual factors in organizations, and features of research design. Also discussed are comparisons of conclusions…

The paper reviews research on behavioral staff management strategies in institutions for developmentally disabled persons, considering procedural effectiveness of four approaches: antecedent, contingency management, self-control, and multifaceted interventions. Methodological problems in the research are noted, along with needs for research on…

A meta-analysis including nine samples of mothers in home visiting programs (N=1,600) examined differences in the effects of home visitor programs on maternal behavior. Although effect sizes varied, programs with more frequent visitation had higher success rates. This dosage effect explained all of the variance in effect sizes. Other significant…

Investigated the effectiveness of an innovative method of counseling, Rapid Problem Resolution (RPR) with chronically unemployed rehabilitation clients. Counselors used the RPR technique with 29 problem clients whose cases were about to be closed unsuccessfully. In this study, 19 of the 26 clients were rehabilitated. (Author)

Two groups of 5-7-year-old behaviorally disturbed boys, involved in a group therapy program, were observed on several occasions near the beginning and near the end of the program in order to determine if there were changes in selected aspects of group structure and social behavior. (MP)

Eight hyperactive children (6 to 11 years old) were treated with a behavioral intervention focusing on teacher and parent training over a period of 5 months. The results suggested that the combination of psychostimulant medication and behavior therapy may be more effective in the short term than either treatment alone. (Author)

Investigated impact of a summer therapeutic daycamp for behaviorally disordered children. One-year followup demonstrated the differential impact of the program, consistent with the notion of intensive, time-limited intervention as an effective alternative to extended treatment. (Author)

The paper reviews recent research on the effectiveness of behavioral self-control procedures with children and adolescents with behavior problems. A range of procedural variations is discussed, and empirical evidence on the use of self-control procedures in educational setting is evaluated. (Author/PHR)

Recipients of treatment designed to change their behavior have the right to a therapeutic environment, services whose overriding goal is personal welfare, treatment by a competent behavior analyst, programs that teach functional skills, behavioral assessment and ongoing evaluation, and the most effective treatment procedures available. (Author/JDD)

Investigates a randomized trial of a self-help smoking cessation program for pregnant smokers at the Kent County Health Department in Grand Rapids, (Michigan). Results indicate larger quit rates amongst program participants than those in the usual care group. Suggests that smoking cessation programs for low-income pregnant WIC clients are…

After attending 12 classes, 210 grandparents with 1 son/daughter and 1 grandchild evaluated changes in grandparent behavior and attitudes. Compared to a control group of 185, the participants showed significant improvement. Classes covered feelings and ideas, listening to younger people, lifespan development, family communications, and…

Implementation of a token economy system with a time-out backup consequence in a highly structured self-contained elementary classroom for children with emotional and behavior disorders demonstrated a strong functional relationship between the intervention system and improvement in the students' behavior. (Author/DB)