A simultaneous presentation procedure to select reinforcers was implemented with two four-year-old twin boys who were developmentally delayed, noncompliant, and mute. Use of the procedure quickly and efficiently identified preferred reinforcers which were then used in an instructional task. (DB)

A content analysis, consisting of 24 items covering behavior specification, objectives, program procedures, data collection, and quality assurance, was applied to 141 written behavior reduction programs of 2 large residential institutions for individuals with developmental disabilities. Use of the content analysis is recommended for program…

Different models for international activities in mental retardation and developmental disabilities are described, as well as principles that characterize successful international programs. A case study of an international exchange and technical assistance project conducted between a University Affiliated Program and Antigua and Barbuda, West…

The staff of an apartment-based residential support program was taught to use behavior interruption strategies to elicit requesting functions from two women with deaf-blindness and developmental disabilities. Results found the strategies to be both quickly assimilated by the staff and effective in increasing request rates from the subjects.…

Focusing on people with disabilities, evaluates vocational development theories, evaluates relevant research, describes scale of vocational development, and suggests model of vocational development. Review of studies suggests that people with acquired disabilities tended to choose occupations consistent with predisability plans, while people with…

A study in the United Kingdom assessed the lifestyles of 19 elderly people with developmental disabilities residing in two community-based homes after living for many years in large institutions. A questionnaire assessing daily life, community-based activities, domestic tasks, and areas of personal responsibility found a generally good quality of…

This paper presents a conceptual framework, based on training in self-regulation, for the normalization of sexual behavior in individuals with developmental disabilities. Four features of such an approach include acquiring appropriate sexual behaviors, generalizing skills, discriminating appropriate contexts, and evaluating one's actions. (DB)

Institutions for people with disabilities can be "deinstitutionalized" by changing the way they are organized and regulated. The process of developing community learning environments in residential programs involves design of daily living routines, assessment of residential living skills, identification of teaching objectives, development of…

This rebuttal by the original authors to a critique (EC 609 029) of their article describing the TAPER psychotropic drug review process supports the process as an individualized approach to psychotropic drug treatment and as an interdisciplinary approach appropriate for use in community-based services for individuals with developmental…

A review of the use of psychotropic medications for people with developmental disabilities is presented. Results suggest that prescribing drugs based on topographical features of the problem behavior, without considering the function the behavior serves for the individual, contributes to variability in clinical response. Functional analysis of a…

Parents and teachers of 83 young children diagnosed with a pervasive developmental disorder rated each child on the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS). Although there was good agreement between informants on the VABS, there was virtually no agreement on the ABC, with parents reporting more autistic and…

This article describes a hospital-based education program that provides early intervention services to infants with chronic health impairments and developmental disabilities and their families during hospitalization. Emphasis is on family-centered care and transition to home/community services. An additional benefit is education of other health…

This study presents three cases of adults with profound developmental disabilities in which assessment data showed that self-injurious behavior occurred in at least two test conditions and describes a method used to analyze the effects of treatments based on hypotheses of multiple control. (Author/DB)

This study, with 61 Israeli parents of children with developmental disabilities, found that parental inclination to apply for out-of-home placement was a function of stress levels, sense of coherence, and social support received from formal and informal resources. (Author/DB)

Parental stress and family dysfunction were examined in 55 families with and 55 families without young children with developmental disabilities. Although families of disabled children showed higher levels of stress, they were only minimally different from control families in their family functioning, indicating high degrees of resiliency.…