A commonly associated side effect of extinction as a treatment for behavior disorders is an initial increased frequency of the target response, called an "extinction burst." This study analyzed 113 sets of extinction data and found that extinction bursting occurred in only 24% of cases and was less common when extinction was combined…

The individualized education programs (IEPs) of 107 junior high students with behavioral disorders were reviewed. An average of 2.4 behavior problems and 4 goals were noted per student, with a low correlation between problems and goals. (Author/DB)

Examination of self-restraint in 99 adults with severe/profound mental retardation who exhibited self-injury found that 46% exhibited self-restraint. A higher occurrence of compulsive behaviors was found for subjects who engaged in self-injury and self-restraint. When self-restraint was prevented, subjects responded negatively. Results support a…

This study compared 41 students with severe behavioral disorders (attending either day or residential programs) on language measures. No significant differences were found between groups; both groups showed receptive and expressive language deficits. However, teachers rated students in the day program higher on conversational skills. Also,…

This study with 45 institutionalized individuals with mental retardation and self injurious behavior (SIB) calculated conditional probability using sequential analysis techniques. It found that successive episodes of self-injury were sequentially dependent and this association was not related to frequency or rate of occurrence. The best predictor…

Comparison of behavioral and emotional disturbance in 70 children and adolescents with Williams Syndrome (characterized by mental retardation and short stature) and a control group, found Williams Syndrome subjects were more likely to be diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder characterized by anxiety, hyperactivity, preoccupations, and…

Examination of the effects of difficulty level of academic tasks on the behavior of 2 subjects (ages 9 and 12) with severe behavior disorders found that difficult tasks were generally associated with lower percentages of time-on-task and higher percentages of time engaged in disruptive behavior than were easy task conditions. (Author/DB)

Of 124 students (ages 5-15) with behavioral/emotional problems, 38 percent were identified as also having learning disabilities and an additional 17.8 percent as having learning problems. The incidence of learning disabilities decreased with age, but that of learning problems remained stable regardless of age groupings. (DB)

This study examined the prevalence and clinical correlates of sexually inappropriate behaviors in 499 youth treated at a public psychiatric hospital over a 5-year period. Those with histories of sexually inappropriate behaviors had higher rates of being sexually abused or physically abused/neglected and more frequently had behavior disorders,…

A survey of 1 school district found 136 students (out of 14,229) with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) of which 77 were receiving special education services; 40 were also identified as behavior disordered, 22 as learning disabled, and 7 as mildly mentally retarded. Fifty students were in general education classrooms with resource…

This study with 65 individuals with mental retardation and additional seizure and/or psychiatric or behavioral disorders found that 9.2 percent experienced medication (carbamazepine) side effects, ranging from irritability to mania. More side effects were experienced by individuals with behavioral or psychiatric disorders than by those with an…

This study compared Greek individuals (n=287) identified as engaging in delinquent behavior who had either been maltreated in childhood or not maltreated. Perceived parental abuse and/or psychological neglect were associated with various family and social characteristics as well as specific Greek societal and cultural factors. (Author/DB)

This study examined the prevalence and severity of self-injurious behavior (SIB) in 29 children and adults with Smith-Magenis syndrome, a genetic disorder usually involving moderate mental retardation. Findings confirmed the near universal presence of SIB in this population. The overall prevalence of SIB increased with age. Number of types of SIB…

This study examined use of psychotropic drug treatment with 488 children and youth. It found that younger children, girls, and those with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder were more likely than adolescent males with conduct disorders to receive medication. Stimulants, tricyclic antidepressants, and neuroleptics were the drug types most…

Oral language abilities in 20 boys (ages 9-13) with chronic behavior disorder were investigated, using 20 standardized language measures. Findings indicated generally poor or inconsistent language skills, with abstract concepts and linguistically complex structures particularly difficult. (Author/DB)