Investigated feasibility of teaching socio-dramatic play through the use of a verbal script to increase sophistication of free play behavior in preschoolers with developmental disabilities. Found support for the clinical utility of scripted play as a teaching strategy for such children. (SD)

The use of anti-epileptic medications (AEDs) is much higher in individuals with intellectual disabilities than in the general population. As many of these individuals rely on such medications, clinicians should consider psychometrically sound instruments for assessing adverse side effects of these medications as one aspect of routine clinical…

Educational and behavioural psychologists have made major contributions to the field of communication intervention for individuals with developmental and physical disabilities. A brief personal perspective is provided on some of the major works and contributors that have shaped the field over the past 25 years. Major contributions and personal…

We live at a time when the Internet is used increasingly for communication, for information, and for the exchange of goods and services. Questions arise about how people with learning disabilities make use of this new technology. In this article, Bjorn Harrysson, with two of his colleagues, A. Svensk and G. I. Johansson, from the Department of…

This study of the status of medical care for Kansans with developmental disabilities consists of reports from physicians, service providers, and family members. Overall, these three groups indicated satisfaction with medical care across the four criteria of availability, accessibility, appropriateness, and affordability. The bases for these…

In 1993, The Council on Quality and Leadership in Supports for People With Disabilities (The Council) developed a person-centered outcome assessment instrument, Personal Outcome Measures (1997). The Council has maintained a database (N = 3,630) of Personal Outcome Measures interviews conducted during accreditation reviews. Our purpose in this…

People with developmental disabilities sleep less and experience higher incidence of clinical sleep disorders than the general population. Exploring the neurophysiology linking sleep with daytime performance in patients with developmental disabilities is now possible using minimally sufficient sleep and sleep-sensitive behavioral assays. Although…

There is mounting evidence that employer-provided health insurance is an important factor in recruiting and retaining a competent and motivated direct support workforce within health and human services occupations. A review of the literature in this area, including new information related to the developmental disabilities field, is presented to…

Stimulus preference assessments for individuals with developmental disabilities typically involve offering choices among stimuli and providing immediate access to the chosen stimuli. Several researchers have explored the utility of presenting choices verbally, thereby obviating the need to present the choices in tangible form and deliver access to…

In 2 experiments, each involving different mathematical operations, we compared 2 training procedures for teaching component math skills in terms of their effects on the learning and long-term maintenance of composite skill. The dependent variables were learn units to composite task mastery and performance on the composite task 2 months later. The…

The aim was to explore the comorbidity between Angelman syndrome and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Identification of autism in children with Angelman syndrome presents a diagnostic challenge. In the present study, 16 children with Angelman syndrome, all with a 15q11-13 deletion, were examined for ASDs. Thirteen children with Angelman syndrome…

The origin and developmental course of stereotypic and self-injurious behaviour among individuals with developmental disabilities such as intellectual disability (ID) or pervasive development disorders such as autism is not well understood. Twelve studies designed to document the prevalence, nature, or development of stereotypic and/or…

There is an increasing awareness that the astrocytes in the immature periventricular white matter are vulnerable to ischemia and respond to inflammation. Here we provide a synopsis of the articles that have evaluated the causes and consequences of developmental brain injuries to white matter astrocytes as well as the consequences of several…

Over the past decade, cognitive approaches with children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) have been investigated. Although studies have focused on intervention outcomes, few have documented the components of the approach that support the enhancement of children's performance. This study used systematic observation of videotaped…

Profiles of verbal learning and memory performance were compared for typically developing children and for four developmental disorders characterized by different patterns of language functioning: specific language impairment, early focal brain damage, Williams Syndrome, and Down Syndrome. A list-learning task was used that allowed a detailed…