The experiment assessed, within a multiple baseline design, the possibility of improving the learning of three autistic children (4 to 7 years old) by changing arbitrary response-reinforcer relationships so that the target behaviors became functional (i.e., a direct part of the response chain required for the child to procure the reinforcer).…

A sharp pinch on the back of the hand, contingent upon hand in mouth behavior, was found to be an economical and effective aversive stimulus in a program which successfully reduced compulsive hand in mouth behavior related to vomiting and rumination of a profoundly retarded adolescent over a 3-month period. (Author)

A differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) procedure employed alone, and then in combination with restitution and positive practice, did not produce clinically significant changes in the rate of disrobing. Subsequently, the use of DRO plus restitution and negative practice reduced frequency of disrobing to either zero or one episode per…

The effectiveness of four operant procedures (differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior, omission training, overcorrection, and reinforcement withdrawal) in changing self injurious behavior (SIB) of 16 severely handicapped students was examined. Analysis of correlations between reduction in SIB and subject characteristics, adaptive…

A systematic sequence of prompt and probe trials was used to teach picture names to three severely retarded children (aged 4). For all children the fixed ratio schedule for correct responses to prompts, combined with the every correct response reinforced schedule for correct responses to probes, generated the best results. (Author/PHR)

To determine if the deficits in social behavior of retarded persons might be, in part, due to the failure of the environment to maintain that behavior. Inappropriate behavior of 18 institutionalized 12- to 20-year-olds was ignored, and appropriate social behavior was rewarded. (Author/CL)

The treatment combined extinction of the injurious behavior and reinforcement of alternative behavior and was successful in the controlled hospital environment. However, an attempt to teach the parents to continue the treatment at home failed. Journal Availability: J. B. Lippincott Co., East Washington Square, Philadelphia, PA 19105 (Author/DLS)

The study sought to identify some of the variables controlling the severely aggressive behavior of two severely retarded children (ages 9 and 14). Experiments conducted under various conditions showed that, while aggressive behaviors sometimes serve as an escape function, the behaviors can be terminated through reduction of the causative situation…

The study investigated the effects of the overcorrection procedure of functional movement training (in which praise and physical contact are offered for correct positions) on establishing and maintaining the visual attending of a multihandicapped, profoundly retarded learner (20 years old) in a public school program. The effectiveness of positive…

The performance of five students (ages 6 to 10) in an adjustment class for deaf children was compared under fixed and variable ratio schedules of reinforcement. During the VR condition, students visually attended more and engaged in disruptive behavior less often than during the FR condition. (Author)

A severely disabled and retarded 15-year-old girl was examined for: effect of music and approval as reinforcers for following a command; effect of a food-pairing procedure on an approval alone condition, an approval plus music condition, and an ignore condition; durability of newly conditioned reinforcers; and strength of the new reinforcers as…

The behavior of four boys who were referred for oppositional, rule violating, and aggressive behaviors was assessed by direct observation and parent reports. Changing contract behavior to solitary toy play resulted in reduced oppositional behavior during the observation sessions, fewer reports from the parents of low-rate problem behaviors, and…

The study undertook to teach and fix the reading of meaningful symbols (hiragana, the Japanese syllabary alphabet, and kanji, Chinese characters) to a mildly retarded 7 year old Japanese boy. The phonological method was used to teach hiragana and pictures were used to teach kanji. Behavior modification using reinforcement and time out was…

The relationship between compliance with "do" and "don't" requests was examined with six developmentaly disabled children with severe behavior disorders. Generalized compliance occurred only with requests of the same types as the target exemplar ("do" or "don't"). (Author/SEW)

INTENDED FOR BOTH THE COLLEGE STUDENT AND THE PROFESSIONAL SPEECH PATHOLOGIST, THE BOOK PRESENTS CURRENT LEARNING THEORIES CONCERNING STUTTERING, DATA IMPORTANT TO THE THEORIES, AND A 2-PROCESS THEORY OF LEARNING FOR THEORETICAL INTEGRATION OF THE DATA ON STUTTERING AND FOR THERAPEUTIC MODIFICATION. INFORMATION PRESENTED ABOUT BEHAVIORISTIC…