A review of 11 single-subject research studies designed to enhance the object-related play of youths with mental retardation found that positive outcomes in the form of improved play behaviors were consistently reported across intervention type. The responsiveness of participants to intervention suggests a need for research to determine the most…

Social Security earnings tests do not deter women from working, whereas men respond to current benefits and their labor force participation is inhibited by the tests. Increases in the delayed retirement benefit increased the labor supply of older women, but not older men. (SK)

An Institute of Medicine committee examined the links between biological, psychosocial, and behavioral factors and health; reviewed effective applications of behavioral interventions (individual behavior, families, organizations, communities, and society); and discussed the production and maintenance of behavior change. The paper presents a…

Integrates existing theoretical perspectives on message content and negotiator motivation to formulate a comprehensive definitional model of the interrelationships among communication behaviors in crisis negotiation. Finds that the intensity of communication plays a polarizing role in the cylinder, with intense, functionally discrete behaviors…

Patterns of change on three intervention targets were examined in 151 families that participated in a family intervention designed to reduce and prevent children's aggressive behavior. Three cluster analyses were conducted to identify patterns of change on each target. The clinical implications of findings are discussed. (BF)

Explains why self-determination is important for incarcerated youth; identifies metacognitive problem solving as a foundation for teaching. Describes representative curricula and advises the creation of the educational environment, involvement of significant others, use of collaborative problem solving, teaching of problem-solving skills, and use…

Resistance to change is often studied by measuring response rate in various components of a multiple schedule. Response rate in each component is normalized (that is, divided by its baseline level) and then log-transformed. Differential resistance to change is demonstrated if the normalized, log-transformed response rate in one component decreases…

The effects of two anorectic drugs, dexfenfluramine and phentermine, on food intake under different food-access conditions were examined. Experiment 1 compared the effects of these drugs on food intake under a progressive-ratio (PR) schedule and free-access conditions. Dexfenfluramine decreased food intake under both conditions, but the doses…

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of paroxetine for the treatment of pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder.Method: Children (7-11 years of age) and adolescents (12-17 years of age) meeting DSM-IV criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder were randomized to paroxetine (10-50 mg/day) or placebo for 10 weeks. The primary efficacy…

Relatively little research has examined factors that account for transitions between transtheoretical model (TTM) stages of change. The present study (N=787) used sociodemographic, TTM, and theory of planned behavior (TPB) variables, as well as theory-driven interventions to predict changes in stage. Longitudinal analyses revealed that…

The authors compared simultaneous versus sequential approaches to multiple health behavior change in diet, exercise, and cigarette smoking. Female regular smokers (N = 315) randomized to 3 conditions received 16 weeks of behavioral smoking treatment, quit smoking at Week 5, and were followed for 9 months after quit date. Weight management was…

In this article, a former troubled youth who is now an expert on resilience shares his experience and provides youth a guided exercise in turning their own lives around. The ex-juvenile delinquent stresses the importance of setting goals claiming that goals are things to shoot for, like getting your chores done or saving your money to buy a car.…

Examined in this article is whether it is ethical for health educators to try to change the health behaviors of people who are informed about the risks of engaging in an unhealthy behavior, have the skills and confidence to change the behavior, but nevertheless choose not to change. Questions are raised about whether interventions for such…

An international movement has focused on identifying evidence-based interventions that were developed to change psychological constructs and that are supported by controlled studies. However, inconsistent findings within individual intervention studies and among multiple studies raise critical problems in interpreting the evidence, and deciding…

This study investigated the roles of sex, age, and parent-child communication in moderating the association between digital game violence and direct aggression in a two-year longitudinal study. Finnish 12- and 15-year-old adolescents (N = 316) participated in the follow-up survey. As hypothesized, digital game violence was linked to direct…