Within educational settings students can choose to engage in assigned academic activities or other, sometimes disruptive behaviors. This paper reviews recent research on assignment preference, choice, and choosing. Results of these studies show how educators can enhance students' academic behaviors, decrease disruptive behaviors, and improve…

This article offers guidelines for developing and using countoons as recording strategies with young children in special education and inclusion classrooms to help them monitor and change problem behaviors. Countoons are simple cartoon representations of appropriate and inappropriate behaviors, a contingency for meeting criteria, and counting…

Twenty suggestions for teachers address ways to identify and reduce bullying in the school setting. Examples include knowing the definition of bullying, watching for warning signs, having good communication with students' parents, creating a support team for the bullied child, taking a proactive preventive approach, using buddies to deter…

In response to Horner and others (EC 232 976), this paper notes earlier recommendation of procedural safeguards to protect client rights and encouragement of positive procedures to increase adaptive skills but questions whether a positive but slow intervention is more ethically valid than more quickly effective "aversive" interventions…

Evaluated changes in food intake and activity levels among 95 subjects who quit smoking. Found significant increases in calories, sucrose, and fats 2 weeks after quitting. Total sugars changes were less consistent. Activity levels did not change significantly. At week 26, caloric intake for abstinent women was approximately equal to baseline…

Presents evidence describing benefits of behavioral interventions such as aerobic exercise training on both psychological and immunological functioning among high risk human immunodeficiency virus-Type 1 (HIV-1) seronegative and very early stage seropositive homosexual men. HIV-1 infection is cast as chronic disease for which early…

Reviewed studies of three different target groups for preventing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) among intravenous drug users. For users entering drug treatment and those continuing to inject, studies showed rapidly induced AIDS risk reduction; suggest need for large-scale change maintained over time. Basic knowledge of AIDS did not…

Assessed teachers' (N=103) ratings of acceptability of classroom time-out procedure as a function of problem severity (mild versus severe), different interventionists (teacher vs. school psychologist), and reported effectiveness (effective versus no information). Found time-out significantly more acceptable for severe problem behaviors; it…

Investigated whether men (N=14) between ages 30 and 50 were able to increase their level of affective expressiveness as measured by both self-report and behavioral tests after participation in multimodal group intervention based on Social Learning Theory principles and targeted at changing expressiveness. Found men learned to express feelings…

The study examined effects of eight weeks of treatment with Vitamin B6-Magnesium on 11 autistic children sensitive to this treatment over a shorter term. The study found significant modifications in the electrophysiological, clinical, and biochemical data gathered before, during, and after treatment. (DB)

Evaluated effectiveness of posttreatment programs on weight loss maintenance. Assigned mildly and moderately obese adults (N=123) to either behavior therapy only or to behavior therapy combined with therapist-contact posttreatment maintenance programs which varied by use of social influence and/or aerobic exercise. Found all four posttreatment…

Fifteen techniques to limit or stop alcohol consumption were rated by 94 adolescents, aged 12 to 19, and their parents. Factor analysis of effectiveness ratings demonstrated consistency in appraisal of adult options for coping strategies, but significant differences in adolescent and parent views of how teenagers should cope with drinking…

Functional analyses were conducted with four individuals with profound mental retardation whose self-injurious behavior (SIB) had relapsed after successful treatment (also based on functional analysis). For three subjects, this second analysis revealed that SIB had acquired new or additional functions. Results suggest reasons other than program…

Belke and Spetch's (1994) work with pigeons on choice between reliable and unreliable reinforcement is discussed. Hypothetical applied examples address variables that influence preference for unreliable reinforcement, including signaling and its context, conditioned reinforcement, and duration of reinforcement schedules. Implications regarding…

This paper comments on the controversy surrounding the use of gentle teaching and applied behavior analysis. Strengths of gentle teaching are noted, such as its wide focus and emphasis on mutual change between client and caregiver. Behavioral interpretations are offered for behavior change reported in the use of gentle teaching procedures. (JDD)