Assigned 139 subjects to intensive behavioral or to low-contact smoking treatment and to 2-milligram nicotine gum or to placebo gum in a 2x2 factorial design. Nicotine gum produced higher abstinence rates than did placebo. Subjects receiving low-contact condition plus nicotine gum had excellent abstinence rates at both 26 weeks and 52 weeks.…

Advantages and disadvantages of environment-focused methods (such as operant and parent training techniques) and of person-focused approaches (such as social skills training) with aggressive children are examined. A synthesis of the two approaches is urged. (Author/CL)

Reacts to four cognitive-behavioral therapeutic approaches of systematic desensitization, rational restructuring, anxiety management training, and stress inoculation training, and to previous articles discussing the approaches. Concludes that approaches seem uniquely well-suited to use as part of deliberate psychological education efforts. (NB)

Responds to previous articles discussing counseling techniques of systematic desensitization, anxiety management training, stress inoculation training, and rational restructuring. Raises additional considerations with respect to assessment, technique selection, and technique implementation. (NB)

Assigned chronic low back pain patients to operant behavioral (OB) treatment, cognitive-behavioral (CB) treatment, or waiting-list (WL) condition. Both treatments resulted in decreased physical and psychosocial disability. OB patients' greater improvement leveled off at followup; CB patients continued to improve over the 12 months following…

The article describes the procedures and variables involved in planning, implementing, and evaluating timeout with exceptional students. Among steps considered are defining the target behavior operationally, analyzing situations, and determining type of timeout and supervision. (CL)

Assigned 43 chronic pain patients to couples group treatment, patient-only group treatment, or waiting-list control. The 16-hour cognitive-behavioral program produced reduction in pain, spouse-observed pain behavior, physical and psychosocial dysfunction, marital satisfaction, and use of health care resources. Spouse involvement did not facilitate…

Compared the effectiveness of behavior modification, cognitive modification, and cognitive-behavior modification in increasing compliance with an exercise prescription for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients (N=96). Although all treatment groups showed improvement, the cognitive-behavior modification strategy produced the most…

R. Epstein criticizes an article by P. Balsam and A. Bondy which urged caution in the use of reinforcement techniques. Epstein cites logic problems and notes the complexity of interventions. Balsam and Bondy respond and restate their basic argument. (CL)

Investigated two different combinations of behavior therapy and pharmacotherapy in treating overweight women (N=91). Results showed that anorectic medication introduced halfway into the program was more effective than medication introduced initially; however, both methods of pharmacotherapy were dependent on continuation of behavioral therapy for…

Investigated whether behavior modification would improve short- and long-term results of weight control programs for obese patients (N=53) with Type II diabetes. The behavior modification group lost more weight than the nutrition education or standard-care condition during the 16-week treatment, but at 16-month follow-up, weight loss differences…

Reports that aggregate studies on alcohol aversion therapy tended to support a moderate level of treatment impact that may have noteworthy practical import. Emetics appeared to generate fairly consistent findings; a paralysis-inducing chemical may produce variable results. (Author/NRB)

Studies of behavior modifications with gifted students are reviewed in terms of maladaptive and adaptive behaviors in gifted underachievers, culturally different students, and gifted students with serious maladjustment and less serious behavior problems. (CL)

Insulin-dependent diabetic children and their parents were trained in behavioral self management and conducted behavior change projects designed to enhance compliance with the medical regimen and reduce diabetes-related conflicts. Participating families experienced fewer arguments concerning diabetes, and the children displayed an increase in…

Psychologists in a large institution for mentally retarded persons present their observations from a week of serving as direct care staff. They report on the effectiveness of such procedures as reducing the noise level, alleviating crowding, structuring activities, and persisting in correcting resident behavior. (CL)