Intended for teachers, the article provides an introduction to the four major classes of psychotropic medication (stimulants, tranquilizers, anticonvulsants, and antidepressants) commonly prescribed for children with learning or behavioral disorders. Specific effects on the classroom are addressed. (DB)

A nutrition education curriculum, which emphasized the importance of a low-salt, low-fat, and increased complex carbohydrate diet for cardiovascular health, was pilot tested on third and fourth graders. At posttest, participating students reported significant, positive eating pattern changes while students in the control group did not. (Author/MT)

Undergraduates (N=111) participated in one of two cognitive behavioral training programs, which included behavior rehearsal, modelling, coaching, cognitive-restructuring, and emphasis on the transferability of skills. Neither self-report nor behavioral outcome differences between the facilitative versus the didactic approaches were noted. However,…

Presents a personal anecdote illustrating how a teacher learned to control an attention-seeking student who was disruptive in the classroom. (MD)

For a seven-year-old autistic boy, contingent jogging caused a significant decline in frequency of out-of-seat behavior that was maintained for 12 months. Unlike many other behavior suppression techniques, contingent exercise is safe and does not humiliate the client. (Author/LHW)

The study compared two approaches to increasing engagement in a leisure activities program with six institutionalized retarded adult males. The "activities manager" approach was more effective in increasing levels of engagement than the "prompting independent use of activities" approach. There was little change, however, in resident vocalization,…

Three cases are presented to illustrate the use of on-the-job training procedures to manage behavior problems of adults with autism. In two cases aggressive and oppositional behavior were eliminated or reduced in frequency, and in a third, production rate was increased. (Author/CL)

Concludes that there are several interrelated minisequences of drug involvement; cigarettes play a prominent role as a gateway to cannabis and hard drugs; and at higher levels of involvement there is a synergistic or reciprocal effect of increasing involvement. The later developmental period was much more stable with somewhat different patterns of…

Examined change in men's housework and child-care time between 1965 and 1975. Results indicated men's housework or child-care time did not change significantly. Further, few systematic changes in housework and child care are observed for specific categories of men. Overall, the findings cast doubt on the supposed covergence of men's and women's…

Using a Bales-type observational system to code behaviors of two psychotherapy groups, sessions were statistically clustered according to their behavioral similarity. These clusters were compared to identify distinct phases of development. Although similarities were found, it was shown that different groups develop differently. (Author/BL)

The nature and value of behavior modification depends, crucially, on what assumptions one makes about human nature and the explanation of human behavior. It is very easy for a teacher practicing behavior modification to assume unquestioningly a deterministic view of human nature. (RM)

Negative reinforcement plus edibles and praise produced about 90 percent correct responding for four severely retarded/autistic children (six to eight years old), while edibles and praise alone were much less effective. Use of negative reinforcement with noncompliant or difficult- to-motivate behaviorally disordered children appeared to be an…

Examined therapeutic changes associated with brief (three-session) Morita intervention in a socially anxious client using a multiple baseline design across two target problems (fear of speaking in groups and fear of approaching strangers). Notable changes regarding both problems were observed immediately after intervention and in the follow-up…

Child care workers in an institution for severely/profoundly retarded children were trained to use prompts and increased toy availability. On the average purposeful activity level of the children increased from 10 percent to a mean of 70 percent during treatment while stereotyped or harmful behaviors decreased from an average of 20 percent to 70…

The authors suggest ways to establish quality behavioral programs within a hospital for the mentally ill. They emphasize the importance of staff morale, consistency of effort, teamwork, staff training and reinforcement. Procedures said to be responsible for successful maintenance include a flexible credit economy system. (Author/CL)