Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) is an effective behavioral intervention when implemented consistently. NCR may be particularly well-suited for use in schools because of its perceived ease of use. However, previous laboratory research suggests that NCR may not maintain therapeutic effects if implemented inconsistently. Inconsistent implementation…

In the context of problem behavior, treatment integrity refers to the extent to which a behavioral intervention is implemented as intended. Treatment-integrity errors may lead to relapse of problem behavior. For example, omitting reinforcers can lead to increases in problem behavior called resurgence. Researchers have previously described the…

Resurgence is the recurrence of target responding when reinforcement conditions have worsened. Resurgence of clinically relevant behavior can occur during planned and unplanned changes in treatment. Although resurgence is possible across many treatment contexts and participants, it may be especially relevant to the treatment of children. The…

The current study outlines the successful behavioral assessment and treatment of compulsive behaviors in a high-functioning adolescent with autism. After a functional assessment suggested that compulsive behavior was maintained by both social--negative and social--positive reinforcement, we demonstrated effects of functional communication…

Behavioral assessment allows a clinician to identify environmental events that are contributing to challenging behavior to inform effective treatment. Recent developments in behavioral assessment and treatment have been devoted to creating practical procedures that can be conducted by clinicians in socially relevant settings. However, the extent…

As a treatment for escape-maintained problem behavior, differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) is typically initiated by reinforcing compliance on a dense reinforcement schedule. This work schedule is then progressively thinned such that the individual is required to complete more work, up to some socially acceptable terminal…

This study aimed to describe 2nd-grade teachers' use of different forms of praise during English Language Arts (ELA) instruction and examine if teacher characteristics were associated with differences in the use of different types of praise. Investigators recorded 2nd-grade teachers' language use during randomly selected, 15-min excerpts (n = 912)…

In behavior-analytic clinical work and research, opportunities for choice can be arranged as an independent variable, and response allocation among choice options can be measured as a dependent variable (i.e., engaging in one response given two or more concurrently available options). Choice-based interventions provide behavior analysts with tools…

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) often receive low rates of teacher praise and high rates of teacher reprimands, though they may respond more positively to praise and more negatively to reprimands than their typically developing peers. Teacher praise-to-reprimand ratios (PRRs) are associated with increased student engagement,…

The precision request (PR) is a semi-scripted request sequence incorporating antecedent and consequence procedures designed to improve compliance. In a previous study, we demonstrated that PR can increase the compliance of students receiving special education services under the category of emotional disturbance (ED). However, the PR includes a…

Successful social inclusion of children with autism in mainstream preschool settings requires ongoing social interactions with neurotypical (NT) peers. To meet the social needs of children with autism in these settings, NT peer training is needed. We evaluated the effects of video modeling, self-management, and reinforcement on social responses of…

Effective interventions are needed to help alternative high school teachers manage challenging student behaviors. One such intervention, class-wide function-related intervention teams (CW-FIT), is a classroom management program based on positive behavior interventions and supports principles. CW-FIT involves teaching appropriate classroom…

In this introduction, the editors provide an overview of resurgence and its importance to practitioners. They also provide an overview of the four articles contained in this special section focusing on the applied implications of resurgence.

Although common among children learning to walk, persistent toe walking can cause physical harm due to inefficient gate, and, in some cases, result in negative social interactions such as teasing and bullying. In addition, although toe walking is often associated with a variety of neurological and developmental conditions, toe walking also occurs…

Functional communication training (FCT) reduces escape-maintained challenging behavior but can result in time away from instruction. Instructional time could be maintained if interventions incorporated academic interventions like curricular revision. We compared FCT with extinction to a curricular-revision treatment package involving antecedent…