Five children with autism participated in learning sessions involving trials of an acquisition task interspersed with trials of three maintenance tasks. Correct responses to acquisition tasks were continuously reinforced throughout all conditions; reinforcement for competent performance of maintenance tasks differed systematically. All children…

Secondary students (n=110) with disabilities rated 90 potential reinforcers. Results indicated that, although student preferences represent a range of reinforcers within existing reinforcement hierarchies, the sample group tended to prefer less intrusive higher level reinforcers, with the overwhelming majority preferring academic or activity…

Examined usefulness of independent group contingency system for decreasing inappropriate behaviors. Twenty-five fourth graders in regular classrooms participated in intervention, which involved public posting system using positive reinforcement for desired behaviors. Targeted behaviors showed marked decreases across eight-week treatment period and…

A study involving an exemplary high school found an organizational culture that cut across all school groups, including students. A set of reinforcing elements were identified, including commitment of administrators, parents, and teachers to academic study and students who associated academic success with material success. (13 references) (MLH)

The behavior of special education students (age 12 and 16) was evaluated as they were presented with 2 academic response alternatives on concurrent reinforcement schedules. Both subjects allocated higher rates of responses to the richer schedule of reinforcement, although only 1 responded exclusively to the richer schedule. (Author/JDD)

Many educators advocate praise as a reward for good student behavior. However, praise has little value when perceived as an evaluation or an undeserved compliment. Rather than spontaneously punctuating each student's actions with accolades, educators should become more informed about praise and more selective in its use. (MLH)

Reviews research into the effects of praise on students. Suggests an approach that gets students to focus on their potential to learn, to value challenge, and to concentrate on effort and learning processes in the face of obstacles. This can all be done while holding students to rigorous standards. (SLD)

Five adolescents with autism, 5 control participants, and 4 child controls received rewards for varying their sequences of responses while playing a computer game. In preceding and following phases, rewards were provided at approximately the same rate but were independent of variability. When reinforced, variability increased significantly in all…

A study assessed the effectiveness of using objects of obsession as token reinforcers to increase task performance of three children (ages 7-9) with autism. Results indicated that percentage correct on task performance was higher when objects of obsession were used as tokens as opposed to when typical tokens were used. (Author/CR)

Working with difficult students inspired Mellie Cope and Sally Hundley to initiate a new program at their middle school in fall 2002. Based on their previous success with students who were difficult to teach, the teachers titled their new program the Saoi ("see") program. In this article, Mellie Cope and Sally Hundley, along with Vicky Faircloth…

This study of 90 adults (aged 55?80) who lost their vision assessed their dispositional optimism, social comparisons, coping strategies, and wellbeing. The findings suggest that optimism and positive social comparisons play an important role in stimulating the motivation to cope adaptively with vision loss and that enhancing optimism and social…

We describe the assessment and treatment of 2 children with autism spectrum disorder whose problem behaviors (self-injury, aggression, and disruption) were multiply controlled. Results of functional analyses indicated that the children's problem behaviors were maintained by both positive reinforcement (attention) and negative reinforcement (escape…

This study is an examination of an Internet-based tutorial that teaches the concept of positive reinforcement. An experimental group of 50 students studied an online tutorial about positive reinforcement, and a control group of 50 students studied an online tutorial in biological psychology. Students in both groups took an 8-item pretest and…

Recently the DfES has issued guidance on ways to address the needs of students who experience difficulties in literacy through Wave Three provision in the National Literacy Strategy (DfES, 2002). This guidance raises the issue of what kind of programmes might be initiated in mainstream schools that will improve what is available generally for…

The purpose of the study was to examine what parents find as acceptable treatment options for children with behavior problems in a communication disorders population. Parents' acceptability of seven treatment options, including positive reinforcement, time-out, response cost, spanking, overcorrection, differential attention, and medication were…