A 2 year project to research, design, implement, and evaluate a model of service to families or "acting families" with a mentally retarded child who presents abusive and/or disruptive behaviors at home is discussed. In the project a husband/wife therapist team spent 80 to 100 hours per family over a 3 month period to assess the problems and…

Several treatment approaches to cigarette smoking were investigated, including a nicotine fading procedure in which subjects changed their cigarette brand each week to one containing progressively less nicotine and tar; a self-monitoring procedure in which subjects plotted their daily intake of nicotine and tar; a combined nicotine…

This report provides illustrations of practical applications of behavior modification to a variety of reading skills and is intended to be directly implemented in any classroom where reading is taught. The initial chapter is a brief orientation to behavior modification. It stresses that the trainer must answer the question of what behavior is to…

The study is a project undertaken by the school psychologists of the Milwaukee Public Schools in order to evaluate the psychological services provided to primary and secondary school children from areas of economic deprivation who are experiencing learning or behavioral problems. Research design was of the test-retest variety; specifically, I.Q.…

The author undertakes a re-examination of the vocational counselor's traditional roles and considers some dramatic changes. The increasing societal emphasis on early childhood provokes questions about the current absence of such a focus in guidance training institutions. The paper stresses intervention at this primary level. New counselor roles…

A strategy for dealing with problems of underachievement within the elementary classroom is proposed. The strategy entails collection of behavioral data within the classroom by the consultant and the development of intervention strategies to be implemented by the classroom teacher. (Author)

Room management is described as a behavioral strategy developed in Great Britain and designed to increase the percentage of time that handicapped children are engaged in independent, constructive activity. Used with severely multiply handicapped children, least responsive children were unlikely to be engaged unless receiving individual attention.…

The study examined the effectiveness of a behavior point system in reducing the frequency of three maladaptive social behaviors (verbal outbursts, interruptions, nonsensical talk) in a severely brain injured male (age 21). All target behaviors declined with introduction of the point system, though nonsensical talk was least responsive to…

A brief inservice program followed by supervisory prompts and feedback provided to 39 education staff in 21 classrooms serving 152 severely handicapped students was consistently accompanied by increased student involvement in functional educational tasks. Improved services continued throughout a two-year follow-up period. (Author/JW)

The article explores the paradoxical relationship between normalization ideology and behavior analysis as reflected in techniques used in the treatment of self-injurious behavior (SIB) in mentally retarded individuals. Ideology should be evaluated carefully for its effects on science policy to prevent undesirable limits on research and treatment.…

Outlined are behavior management strategies for emotionally disturbed students who are partially mainstreamed. Appropriate behavior outside the classroom earns the child stamps. Inappropriate behavior inside the classroom results in warnings, penalty points, and time-out. On-task behavior is also rewarded with stamps, which may be accumulated for…

Evaluated teachers' acceptability ratings of three types of interventions applied to an acting-out behavior problem, and the relationships among these acceptability scores and self-reported use of those interventions. Teachers rated humanistic and behavioral approaches most acceptable and the pragmatic approach least acceptable. Ratings of…

Three undergraduate students were observed and trained through a two-way audio-video telecommunications system to use prescribed teaching tactics with preschool-aged handicapped children. Televised graphic feedback alone was insufficient in producing desired changes in teacher behavior, but televised graphic feedback plus televised verbal…

A 13-year-old deaf-blind boy who exhibited disruptive problem behaviors during mobility training sessions was successfully treated in a program that incorporated contingent reinforcement for reduced rates of responding. A 1-year follow-up assessment revealed continued behavioral improvement. (Author/JDD)

Issues in effective diagnosis of such dishonest behavior as cheating, lying, and nonconfrontative stealing are discussed. Published intervention approaches for dishonest behavior are reviewed, including negative sanctions, direct appeals to morality, public affirmation, covert sensitization, timeout, reinforcement contingency procedures, and…