Functional assessments were conducted to identify the variables maintaining disruptive behavior in eight, typically developing fifth-grade students enrolled in general education classrooms. Participants whose behavior was found to be functionally related to either task-avoidance or attention-seeking were randomly assigned to a treatment strategy…

This guide provides information on best practices and guidelines for developing, managing, or changing behaviors without the use of aversive or punitive methods. The guidelines are based on regard for the dignity of the child, the attitudes of parents and school personnel, the knowledge that children learn best in a positive environment where they…

The use of systematic prompting and monitoring to increase written sentence production during a ten-minute assigned composition task was investigated with 78 learning disabled (LD) students in grades 7-12. Subjects were classified as LD, were receiving special education services, and evidenced at least a 2-year lag in written language skills. Six…

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)

Describes the effects of a home-based reinforcement program (designed to modify classroom behaviors) on the academic performance and behavior of three fourth-grade boys. Results demonstrated the effectiveness of home-based reinforcement intervention in improving the academic performance of underachieving children while simultaneously reducing…

In terms of the criterion measure, the social reinforcement group differed significantly from the teacher expectation and the control group. Differences in mean response gains between Premack and social reinforcement groups approached significance with the greatest changes in client behavior favoring the social reinforcement group. (Author)

Behavior modification in a weight control program is examined in two models of operant and classical conditioning. Successful utilization of behavioral techniques is dependent on adherence to principles of learning, the skill and insight of the clinician, and the sensitivity to the individual needs of each client. (JN)

This study indicates that social drive and valence theories of social reinforcement cannot adequately account for the results of three different measures of reinforcer efficacy (accuracy, rate, and persistence). Suggests that activation/arousal theories provide a better basis for behavior modification. (BH)

Outlines a checklist that provides immediate, specific information on the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder child's behavior and academic performance. Lists objectives of the checklist, its content, and the ways in which the checklist is to be used. Claims that the checklist fosters teachers', parents', and children's cooperation. (RJM)

Discusses behavioral momentum and the general behavioral relation between the persistence of behavior and the rate of reinforcement obtained in a given situation. Strategies for establishing the generality of behavioral relations are reviewed, followed by a brief summary of evidence for the generality of behavioral momentum. (Author/CR)

Three analyses were conducted to assess the effects of different consequent stimuli on the stereotypical and self-injurious behavior of two children with severe developmental disabilities and dual sensory impairments. Contingent presentation of the specially selected stimuli plus response interruption resulted in more suppression than contingent…

Describes a classroom demonstration using differential reinforcement to shape student participation in a small psychology laboratory. Concludes that the technique was useful for illustrating how reinforcers shape behavior. Suggests that the demonstration facilitated understanding of operant conditioning procedures and encouraged more equitable…

This replication study found that only 16 of 55 raters agreed on the category of reinforcement maintaining a disabled individual's self-injurious behavior after using the Motivation Assessment Scale. Additionally, only 15 percent of the correlation coefficients obtained were above 80 percent, and none of the reliability scores was above 80…

Compared effects of token reinforcement, cognitive behavior modification, and direct instruction on learning-disabled elementary school students' mathematics skills. Treatment was provided to 94 students for 4 weeks in daily 1-hour sessions. Significant differential gain between treatment and direct instruction groups in achievement test scores…

A broad spectrum behavior therapy approach was used to treat physical aggression in 5 brain-injured males (ages 18-28). The approach employed high density reinforcement, reinforcer sampling, environmental control, selection of appropriate responses, inconvenience review, self-control training, and self-monitoring. All five subjects showed…