This study found that categorization strategy training resulted in increased performance on unidimensional, bidimensional, and tridimensional sorting tasks by 4 males (ages 12-16) with autism. Three subjects also showed improvements on generalization probes and maintenance of performance. (Author/JDD)

Key words from product warning labels were taught to four adolescents with moderate mental disabilities using flash cards and a progressive time-delay procedure. Although students mastered the words in a relatively short time with minimal errors, generalization probe data with actual products across settings revealed the need for instruction to…

These thoughts, by an author of a paper (EC 611 428) on teaching adolescents with moderate mental retardation to read key warning label words, focus on the importance of teaching for generalization or teaching word recognition using actual labels and encouraging an appropriate behavioral response. (DB)

This study assessed effects of teaching sociodramatic play skills to three children (ages five to nine) with autism. Positive changes were observed in play, language, and social skills. These changes generalized across toys and settings, although little generalization to other play partners occurred. (Author/DB)

This study with 56 learning-disabled adolescents found that intensive generalization training specific to the development of complex mnemonic strategies was demonstrably more effective in recall at 1-day and 2-week intervals than a rehearsal condition. No added advantage was gained by adding attribution training to the mnemonic generalization…

Comparison of two strategies for reducing drooling in two adults with moderate mental retardation found both the use of brief cues and the use of flexible cues equally effective for Subject 1 but the use of flexible cues more reliably effective with Subject 2. Neither subject achieved independent skill without the use of cues. (DB)

Incidental teaching procedures were used to train a 16-year-old mildly handicapped student to use social amenities in a resource classroom. Generalization to another resource room and an art classroom was assessed. Results indicated increased use of social amenities in the training setting and generalization settings. (Author/PB)

Four nine year olds with mild mental retardation received training on the meaning of idiomatic phrases. All children demonstrated learning and an ability to understand the learned idioms when presented in unfamiliar contexts. Children were able to generalize their receptive learning to an expressive task with varying levels of success. (Author/JDD)

Two children (ages 13 and 16) with autism were taught to differentiate appropriate from inappropriate social behaviors. Children's treated behaviors improved rapidly, and there were generalized changes in untreated social behaviors. Results suggest the possibility of identifying pivotal response classes of social behavior that may improve peer…

Social skills training practices for persons with mental retardation are summarized, along with reasons for their lack of maintenance and generalization. A cognitive-behavioral definition and model of social competence and social skills are described, which unify social learning concepts with recent research and practice and focus on their utility…

This literature review finds that about half of all children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have significant problems with peer relationships. Although social skills interventions are commonly advocated, few studies have systematically evaluated social skills interventions with ADHD. Research suggests serious limitations in…

Treatment of a woman with severe mental retardation with the Self-Injurious Behavior Inhibiting System (SIBIS) resulted in significant reductions in SIB behavior which generalized to the natural environment and the brief follow-up sessions. (Author/DB)

Two children (ages four and five) with mild developmental delays and no appropriate toy play were trained individually on one topography for each toy. Previously reinforced topographies of toy play were then placed on extinction, resulting in the induction of untrained topographies. (Author/DB)

The effectiveness of a cognitive-process approach for teaching appropriate responses to criticism were assessed across three young adults with moderate mental retardation who were receiving vocational training. Results indicated that two participants learned this approach and successfully generalized their behavior across untrained stimuli.…

This study of four moderately to severely aphasic subjects found that success in manual sign training programs is related to severity of aphasia, that aphasic subjects' propositional use of manual signs rarely follows simple acquisition, and that generalization to untrained stimuli or environments does not occur without additional training.…