Results of an analogue functional analysis indicated that noncompliant vocal behavior exhibited by a young girl with autism was maintained by negative reinforcement. Follow-up analyses suggested that the immediate escape contingency assessed in the demand condition did nor appear to maintain the behavior. Instead, noncompliant vocal behavior…

A common deficiency in the verbal repertoires of individuals with autism and related disorders is the absence of socially appropriate vocal mands. The vocal mand repertoires of these individuals may be lacking in several respects: (a) The individual might engage in no mands whatsoever, (b) the mand might be topographically dissimilar to an…

In this study, we used a paired-choice assessment protocol to identify the relative reinforcing value of stimuli and activities for a child with severe disabilities when she failed to settle to sleep at night. The results of this assessment indicated that the child preferred the mother's attention relative to other activities presented. Assessment…

This study followed 18 children with developmental disabilities, whose chronological ages were between 3 years and 6 years at the start of the study, over a 2-year period. At initial observation, children communicated primarily through prelinguistic gestures, vocalizations, and single-word utterances. Children's language skills were measured every…

The interdisciplinary evaluation has been a well-established process in centers for neurodevelopmental disabilities, but it is costly and may generate long waiting lists that can delay early diagnosis and treatment. An alternative evaluation paradigm was designed, using a specific screening approach, to improve use of staff time without…

In schools and residential programs across the country, individuals with disabilities are victims of "aversive interventions" which are used to control challenging behaviors. This means that painful or dehumanizing procedures are used in response to behaviors that are judged to be unacceptable. Aversive procedures include the use of electric…

Charlop, Burgio, Iwata, and Ivancic [J. Appl. Behav. Anal. 21 (1988) 89] demonstrated that varied punishment procedures produced greater or more consistent reductions of problem behavior than a constant punishment procedure. More recently, Fisher and colleagues [Res. Dev. Disabil. 15 (1994) 133; J. Appl. Behav. Anal. 27 (1994) 447] developed a…

Background: The development and use of support need instruments for funding disability services is a relatively recent initiative. Although the use of these measures appears at face value to provide an objective measure of support needs, little is known about their psychometric properties, particularly with respect to rater bias and purpose of…

Pictorial and tangible paired-stimulus preference assessments were compared with 4 adolescents with developmental disabilities. In the tangible assessment, two stimuli were placed in front of the participant on each trial; in the pictorial assessment, two line drawings were placed in front of the participant on each trial. Approach responses were…

Almost three decades ago, the birth of Louise Brown in England marked the beginning of the "in vitro" fertilization (IVF) era. IVF is done to overcome infertility problems that some couples experience. Sperm and eggs are collected and fertilized in the lab. ("In vitro" means "in glass" and is used to refer to…

The current study aimed to replicate and extend Rojahn et al. [Rojahn, J., Aman, M. G., Matson, J. L., & Mayville, E. (2003). "The aberrant behavior checklist and the behavior problems inventory: Convergent and divergent validity." "Research in Developmental Disabilities", 24, 391-404] by examining the convergent validity of the behavior problems…

Even the most uneventful days at home can be challenging for families who have a child with an autism spectrum disorder or another developmental disability. This article provides strategies to help children with special needs enjoy successful community outings. Teaching a child the necessary skills to navigate new and challenging situations…

No two families cope with the diagnosis of a child's developmental disability in exactly the same way. In this article, three parents share their experiences with the diagnosis and treatment of an autism spectrum disorder. Listening to parents describe the impact of autism on their families reminds us that each child and family bring a unique set…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of systematic instruction with a concrete representation on the acquisition of an algebra skill for students with moderate developmental disabilities. Three high school students with moderate developmental disabilities participated in this study. A multiple probe across participants research…

This research synthesis verifies the effectiveness of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) for improving the functional communication skills of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The research synthesis was focused on the degree to which variations in PECS training are associated with variations in functional…