Examined linkages between novelty seeking, as defined by C. Cloninger (1986), harm avoidance, and reward dependence dimensions and risky sexual behavior among 200 boys in treatment for substance abuse and delinquency compared to 200 boys recruited from the community. Analyses indicate that differences in personality failed to account for observed…

The purpose of this article is to analyze current theories about childhood sexual behavior, differentiate between normal and problem childhood sexual behavior, and propose some alternatives for sex education in the schools. (IAH)

Suggestions are made to help physical education teachers manage disruptive students, increase on-task instruction time, and develop a systematic approach to avoiding confrontations in class. (IAH)

The study, in which mothers of 62 children with spina bifida completed the Child Behavior Checklist, found that children with differing degrees of physical problems and disability (determined from medical charts) did not differ significantly in their psychosocial adjustment. (Author/DB)

This study evaluated the effectiveness of high probability requests and time-out as treatments for noncompliance which appeared to be maintained by contingent attention in two developmentally normal children. The introduction of high-probability requests increased compliance for one child but not the other. Time-out was effective with both…

Provides descriptive account of one common type of out-of-home placement for children, residential treatment center. Attempts to portray daily life in children's residential program by spending day with seven-year-old boy in residential treatment. Describes morning and school routine; afternoon routine of homework, chores, individual counseling,…

This study investigated the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral training in reducing angry behavior and aggression among three fourth-grade students in a multicategory resource room. Results indicated that students were able to learn the strategy and reduce undesirable behavior, maintaining decreased levels of anger and aggression over time.…

This introduction to and overview of a special issue on social behavior assessment within schools discusses the impact of function-based methodologies on assessment and intervention practices in identification and remediation of challenging social behaviors. (JDD)

This commentary responds to a critique (EC 610 642) of a study on professional acceptability of various treatment procedures for challenging behaviors exhibited by individuals with disabilities. The commentary asserts that treatment options should be evaluated in terms of probability of success, time factors, distress caused by the procedure, and…

Two students with severe disabilities were alternately presented with interspersed high-compliance requests and social comments as antecedents to low-compliance requests. Analysis found similar positive effects on compliance for interspersed requests and social comments. The effectiveness of social comments was related to the time interval between…

Work behaviors that prevent an individual with disabilities from getting and keeping a job are considered, along with ways to change behaviors. Nine ways to change negative work behaviors are addressed, including teaching/training, goal-setting, motivating, counseling, role-playing, and social reinforcement and behavior modification. (SW)

Conditions associated with the maintenance of hand mouthing were studied in 3 experiments with 12 adults with profound mental retardation. Functional analysis of hand mouthing, reinforcers, and preference for hand-toy versus mouth-toy contact were assessed. Hand stimulation was the predominant reinforcer for all participants. (SW)

Specific grief behaviors observed in children from 4 to 16 years of age in the 2 years after the death of a sibling are reported. Using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the parents of 90 boys and girls rated the occurrence of behavior problems. The behaviors commonly observed in the bereaved children predominately fell into the Aggression…

A home-based contingency management program, consisting of diet modification, laxatives, correction for soiling accidents, stimulus control training, and positive reinforcement, was implemented for treatment of a 4-year-old encopretic male. The findings provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of dietary modification combined with behavior…

This response to a paper by Guess and Carr (EC 602 212) on stereotypy and self-injurious behavior in the disabled focuses on (1) potentially misleading statements that may discourage practitioners from operant approaches to stereotypy and self-injury, and (2) strengths and weaknesses of the model compared to existing operant models. (DB)