This study provides the results of a meta-analysis of 31 single-case design studies on safety skills interventions for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). Results indicate that individuals who have mild to moderate ID, in particular school-age children, have benefited most from the safety skills interventions. In addition, the…

This study compared the effectiveness of behavioral skills training (BST) to BST plus simulated in situ training (SIT) for teaching safety skills to children to prevent gun play. The results were evaluated in a posttest only control group design. Following the first assessment, participants in both training groups and the control group who did not…

Unintentional firearm injury in children is a problem in the United States that warrants attention. Recent research has identified several risk factors for such injuries and has developed prevention strategies for reducing their occurrence. Many of these programs, however, have not been evaluated or have been shown to be ineffective. Research on…

The article describes the potential impact of a prevention model on reducing unintentional childhood injuries. Following a review of major childhood injuries and related risk factors, the model, which borrows from prevention, behavioral, and community psychology frameworks, is elucidated. An example using fire emergency skills is offered.…

A posttest only control group design was used to investigate the effects of two programs to teach firearm injury prevention skills to second and third grade children. Children were taught the safety skills "Stop. Don't touch. Leave the area. Tell an adult." should they ever find a firearm. The effectiveness of the National Rifle Association's…

Successful programs designed to encourage protective behaviors (e.g., wearing safety belts and using child safety seats) have applied such behavioral principles as a combination of rewards, feedback, guidance, contingency management, and modeling. (Author/DB)

Five elementary students with developmental disabilities were taught health and safety facts using either classwide peer tutoring (CWPT) or traditional teaching methods. Comparison indicated that both CWPT procedures and traditional teacher-led procedures produced similar outcomes. Discussion focuses on advantages of using CWPT to acquire basic…

Two preschool children, both of whom had displayed susceptibility to lures, were taught to prevent opportunities for abduction. Both children learned and demonstrated appropriate responses to lures in school and community settings, and follow-up measures at 64 weeks showed high levels of maintenance, although some retraining was required to…

This study reviewed the research evaluating procedures for teaching abduction prevention skills to children. Examination of types of skills, types of abduction scenarios, training procedures, and assessment strategies indicated that children can learn abduction prevention skills through behavioral skills training procedures, and that individual…

Presentation of classroom-based abduction prevention training to preschool children (n=62) indicated that a videotape condition and a training manual condition were both superior to the no treatment control condition. Correspondence between the children's verbal and nonverbal behavior was low. (Author/JDD)

Appropriate safe responses to products containing key words on warning labels were taught to four elementary students with moderate mental retardation using a constant time delay procedure. Results found the procedure effective in teaching safe responses, as well as in increasing a generalized response to novel settings and materials. (Author/PB)

This study examined effects of direct training and observational learning on acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of a first-aid skill for three pairs of preschool children with disabilities (three target learners and three observational learners). All six children learned the skill, generalized the skill to playground and home settings,…

This study surveyed 100 parents and teachers to assess frequency and patterns of accidents among preschool children. Inappropriate uses of toys and other materials; falling due to ice, water, or objects underfoot; slipping in the bathtub; and inappropriate response to strangers were identified as common causes of accidents. Implications for the…

A seven-step model for developing, teaching, and evaluating social safety skills curricula for persons with intellectual disabilities is presented. The model is based on validated best practices, including those associated with ecological inventories, (near) errorless learning instructional procedures, and procedures for promoting generalization…