Studies using fear-conditioning paradigms have found that anxiety patients are more conditionable than individuals without these disorders, but these effects have been demonstrated inconsistently. It is unclear whether these findings have etiological significance or whether enhanced conditionability is linked only to certain anxiety…

Process and outcome of a smoking cessation program using behavior therapy along (BT) or behavior therapy plus the nicotine patch (BTP) was studied in 64 participants. Abstinence was significantly higher for the BTP group from the end of behavioral treatment (79% vs. 63%) through the three-month follow-up, with the effects weakening at the six- and…

A 22-year-old female graduate student who suffered colitis attacks at the onset of therapy was apparently successfully treated by a procedure in which the therapist labeled antecedent stress events that appeared to be precipitating the attacks. The client was then taught a behavioral coping strategy to counter the stress events. (Author)

The developmental pattern of present behavior modification programs for the adult mentally retarded is evaluated. (Author)

This study examines the modification of smoking behavior resulting from smoking on command of a tape-recorded message. Neither paced groups nor the self-paced control group significantly differed in reductions in smoking at six-month follow-up. Cognitive dissonance is suggested in explanation of initial smoking reductions for self-paced subjects.…

The present paper describes a method combining thought stopping and covert assertion and reports its application in six case histories the majority of which would usually be classified as phobic rather than obsessional. The paper reports successful followups. (Author/LA)

Social feedback was investigated as a treatment strategy for reducing inappropriate verbalizations by a retarded adult in a vocational-training program. Treatment procedures were introduced as a combination of three components: praise for not verbalizing inappropriately, reprimands, and instruction. (Author)

Until recently, the use of contingency contracting has been largely an issue of theory and discussion with little experimental research evidence gathered to support efficacy. Two major reasons for this problem are suggested and discussed: (1) the concept of contingency contracting has not been adequately defined nor its minimal requirements…

Described is an Operant Conditioning-Token Economy Program, teaching patients to be responsible for their own behavior, to make choices, and to be motivated to change. The program was instigated with mentally ill patients in a state hospital and was later used with institutionalized mentally handicapped groups. After two years, only four of the…

Self-referred and court-referred clients were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups, aversive counterconditioning, behavioral self-control training or a controlled drinking composite. All therapies were conducted by trained paraprofessionals and consisted of 10 weekly sessions. No significant differences among treatments were found.…

Thirty college students and 30 moderately retarded persons averaging approximately equal age received eight alternating phases of acquisition and extinction trials with an electric pulse as the unconditioned stimulus for classical eyelid conditioning. (Author)

A food satiation procedure was used in two experiments to decelerate the frequency of vomiting responses in two profoundly retarded adults who exhibited well-defined vomiting-ruminatory response chains. (Author)