Home-based and school-based programs that have presented sexual abuse prevention information through films, theatrical presentations, books, lectures, and behavioral skills training are evaluated. Results of program evaluations have shown that behavioral skills training packages are the most effective method of teaching self-protection skills and…

This commentary on assessing the social validity of behavior-change programs examines which groups should be included in the assessment, whether social validity assessment should be required, and whether new methods are needed. The paper notes that social validation should be an interactive process between researcher and consumer. (JDD)

Describes a theoretical framework of distributed representations to explore the representational properties in group problem solving. The experiment shows that different distributed representations across two individuals produced dramatically different group problem-solving behaviors; and two minds could be better than one mind, depending on how…

This study assessed antecedents of severe problem behaviors of 92 adults with intellectual disability using a checklist comprising 19 scales of antecedent events scored for likelihood of preceding problem behaviors. Data analysis with clients with conduct behavior problems, emotional behavior problems, and both conduct and emotional behavior…

This article examines the status of behavioral research on genetic mental retardation syndromes and finds that the field continues to struggle with three methodological issues: (1) how to think about control or contrast groups, (2) the interplay of behavioral phenotypes with development and other within-group variations, and (3) the efficacy of…

Discusses the use of aversive treatment on children with behavior disorders. Suggests that aversive treatment should be used primarily in conjunction with behavior analysis and therapy. Argues that the primary ethical concern of aversive treatment should be whether there are safeguards against potential abuses of aversive procedures. (SNR)

The self-injurious escape behavior of an adult with developmental disabilities was treated with extinction. Results of a reversal design showed substantial bursts of responding when extinction was introduced and reintroduced: self-injury remained at a variable and elevated rate for some time before stable, low rates were observed. (Author/DB)

Describes a computer-assisted cognitive training program used to treat a 13-year-old Caucasian male with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Pre-/posttest differences on the Conners Parent Rating Scale revealed a decrease on all subscales. Scores on the Conners Teacher Rating Scale were less conclusive. A follow-up revealed that most gains…

New Zealand high school students (N=221) completed a questionnaire that examined the relationship among factors associated with professional psychological help-seeking behavior. Suicidal ideation, attitudes, psychological distress, treatment fears, and gender were some predictors accounting for 23% of students' self-rated help-seeking intentions.…

This article introduces this special issue on functional assessment methods and their application to children and youth with autism. It traces the 30-year history of functional assessment and briefly summarizes each of the following articles, noting the common emphasis on social validity and using the science and technology of functional…

Assesses the prevalence rate of bulimic disorders among 257 female Asian Americans from 18 to 30 years old. Finds that only two of the 257 women met the classification for bulimia nervosa. Contends that the findings illustrate the need for future research among culturally different populations. (CMK)

The purpose of this study was to critically examine the positive approaches to behavioral intervention research and young children demonstrating challenging behavior. The authors conducted a comprehensive review of articles published between 1984 and 2003 across 23 peer-reviewed journals. Each article that met the criteria for inclusion in the…

Undergraduate students in a learning laboratory course initially chose a species to study; researched that species' physical and behavioral characteristics; then learned skills necessary to select, operationalize, observe, and record animal behavior accurately. After their classroom preparation, students went to a local zoo to observe the behavior…

Repeated measures and longitudinal studies arise often in social and behavioral science research. During the planning stage of such studies, the calculations of sample size are of particular interest to the investigators and should be an integral part of the research projects. In this article, we consider the power and sample size calculations for…

In three experiments we studied lay observers' attributions of responsibility for an antisocial act (homicide). We systematically varied both the degree to which the action was coerced by external circumstances and the degree to which the actor endorsed and accepted ownership of the act, a psychological state that philosophers have termed…