Compared the effectiveness of threat and benefit appeal approaches in presenting written nutrition information to adults (N=1500). Questionnaires mailed to respondents focused on items which measured the comparative influence of the approaches on changes in attitudes, behavior, and knowledge level. (JN)

The abstinence violation effect (AVE) proposed in Marlatt and Gordon's model of smoking relapse was operationalized as a combination of internal, stable, and global causal attributions for smoking following the attainment of abstinence from smoking. Smoking cessation program participants who relapsed following a slip reported significantly higher…

The article discusses the applied and clinical importance of the relationship between verbalizations and relevant behavior (i.e., between what people say and what they do). The analysis of verbal regulation in correspondence training has the theoretical complexity and sufficiency of the operant analysis of antecedents, behaviors, and consequences.…

This study concludes that a 1985 Illinois instructional leadership mandate does not provide enough incentive or necessary resources for school principals to change their behavior to comply with the legislation. Also, school realities make job changes difficult for principals desiring to adopt new behaviors. (MLH)

The effects of three interventions (peer initiation, reinforcement, and prompting) delivered by nonhandicapped students (4th graders) on the social initiation behavior of untrained peers toward a student with severe handicaps were examined. Results indicated the prompt procedure produced the highest levels of positive social initiation from…

Two studies compared the influence of task variation or task constancy on the aberrant responding of three severely handicapped students (ages 5, 12, and 20 and diagnosed autistic and/or mentally retarded). Both studies showed that the varied task sequence resulted in much lower levels of disruptive and self-stimulatory behaviors. (Author/DB)

Compared effects of different visiting programs (people, people and pets, pets, no visit) on behaviors of nursing home residents. Found all three visiting programs increased behaviors of smiling and alertness in comparison to control conditions. Close proximity to person-alone visitor was associated with greatest number of positive resident…

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of training in changing two complex teaching skills under controlled training conditions. Participants were 20 experienced teachers. The skills involved questioning strategy and clarity of explanations. The significance of the findings for teacher effectiveness and teacher education is…

This study examined the generalizability of the Stallings Effective Use of Time Program (EUTP). Four series of the EUTP were analyzed for levels of teachers' classroom behavioral change. Observational data gathered before and after the four workshop series provided significant support for the generalizability of change from such programs. (JD)

The scope of psychoactive drug use within a statewide (Texas) institutional service delivery network was examined, with a focus on its role in the treatment of self-injurious behavior and other aberrant behaviors in the retarded. Insufficient use of behavioral technology and overuse of physical and chemical restraints were indicated. (Author/DB)

Two studies investigated clients' reactions to evaluations of, expectations for, or willingness to seek counseling as a function of fee conditions and problems. Results indicated fee conditions did not affect willingness to seek help or expectations. Although there were some sex differences on expectancies, there was no interaction effect for sex…

For health instruction to be of benefit, personal practices must enhance health behavior. Self-management skills, stimilus control procedures, and reinforcement control procedures to make behavioral changes consistent with health-related decisions are described. (MT)

Q-sorts by experts were used to compare four structural/strategic/systemic therapy models. Results suggest that the models share a practical, strategic orientation to change, emphasizing reframing, but attach different importance to history, inference, abstraction, and contextual breadth. (Author)

Terminally ill children need support from peers, teachers, and parents to cope with their disease. Suggestions for helping all parties deal with the problems that arise are discussed. (DF)

The significance of unlearning for six different learning situations is outlined, and positive, negative, and neutral strategies for overcoming resistance, based on force-field analysis, are given. (SK)