This article helps Extension professionals guide individuals in a successful long-term weight loss program. A program should focus on behavioral changes (improving eating habits and physical activity), not just weight loss. In order to do this, Extension professionals should implement behavior change strategies that motivate individuals to…

We manipulated relative reinforcement for problem behavior and appropriate behavior using differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) without an extinction component. Seven children with developmental disabilities participated. We manipulated duration (Experiment 1), quality (Experiment 2), delay (Experiment 3), or a combination of…

This paper addresses some of the practical ways by which students can be given information about the adequacy of their responding. The author views this information as all that is frequently necessary to alter an inappropriate behavior. Thus, he considers feedback to be the first step in most behavior management programs. Studies to determine how…

This study used time-out (TO) as the primary therapeutic intervention with a 13-year-old highly aggressive male in a public school setting. TO was used over a 10-week period with extinction of the specified behaviors occurring after the seventh week. During an 8-week follow-up only three instances of the aggressive behaviors were observed. (Author)

The subject-controlled graduated exposure of a snake with feedback of exposure times resulted in significantly less avoidance behaviors for snake-phobic subjects than for control snake-phobic subjects who did not receive therapy. (Author)

A guide to training parents as behavior modifiers is presented. Providing the parents with a summary of behavior modification principles is suggested. Having the parents select behaviors and gather base rates prior to the interview is discussed. Specific interview topics and questions are presented. The statement of a precise behavioral objective…

Subjects (N=45) were treated with one of three weight control procedures: (a) attention placebo; (b) covert sensitization; and (c) covert sensitization augmented by false physiological feedback. Although all treatment groups lost weight, there was no differential weight loss among the groups at posttest or a 4-week follow-up test. (Author)

The present study investigated effects of a token program for one child on the attending behavior of other children sitting near him. Results show the rewarded child's attending increased in the reinforcement conditions and the unrewarded children's attending increased when they were sitting on either side of the rewarded child. (Author)

During the DRL procedure, reinforcement was made available for inappropriate language that was less than a prescribed limit for each day. Data indicated that reinforcing low rates of behavior may be an effective alternative to the use of aversive contingencies to reduce the misbehavior of such children. (Author)

In Study one, the effect on stuttering frequency of contingent monetary gain and contingent monetary loss resulted in decreased stuttering. In Study two, monetary gain and loss was made contingent on units of fluent speech. Fluency increased for the group during monetary gain, but monetary loss did not decrease fluency. (Author)

Three behavioral techniques--relaxation, satiation, and combined relaxation/satiation--were compared to determine relative effectiveness in reducing cigarette smoking behavior in 53 volunteer smokers. Results indicate all three approaches were effective initially but only combined relaxation/satiation effectively maintained a significant reduction…

Data were collected on rate per minute of administering token reinforcement for one male and six female teachers enrolled in a behavior modification course. Comparison of reinforcement rates for observer-present versus absent indicated significantly higher rates of token delivery in the observer-present condition. Implications of this fact are…

This study compared systematic desensitization and two pseudotherapy manipulations with and without false galvanic skin response feedback after every session suggesting improvement in the modification of intense snake and spider fear. The results indicated no consistent differences between the three treatment groups. (Author)

This paper presents a review of relevant literature on treatment approaches for the modification of smoking behavior, followed by an outline of an approach developed by the author to decrease his own rate of cigarette smoking. Studies are reviewed which have used various treatment methods: use of electric shock, satiation and/or use of cigarette…