This paper discusses the practice of social validity assessment in applied behavior analysis, proposes elements that should be included in state-of-the art assessment procedures, offers a taxonomy of consumers to guide the construction and circulation of assessments, and suggests strategies to improve social validity assessment. (JDD)

This review of behavioral research on teaching individuals with profound multiple handicaps found that behavior change has resulted from contingency management interventions, but the behavior changes cannot be described as beneficially affecting the individuals' quality of life. Explanations for this are offered, and suggestions for future…

Reviewing of long term and short term intervention research undertaken by Skeels and Dye (1939), Dawe (1942), Brazziel and Terrell (1962), Carter (1966), Sigel, Roeper, and Hooper (1966), Weikart (1967), Klaus and Gray (1967), Karnes and others (1966), Bereiter and Engelmann (1966), Blatt and Garfunkel (1965), Nimnicht (1966), and Smilansky (1964…

Takes the position that despite changes in society and in the ways that researchers conceptualize gender schemata, stereotypes about occupations persist. Questions to what extent experimental interventions have been successful, and considers how intervention and intervention goals should be reformulated for the future. (Author/RWB)

Self-injurious behavior is a serious concern for individuals who must provide educational services to developmentally disabled children. This article discusses research related to the motivation of self-injury; provides guidelines for designing treatment programs for self-injurious behavior; and introduces a new nonaversive treatment, differential…

A behavioral intervention program for conduct problem children with both behavioral and academic difficulties in elementary school was evaluated. A standard 20-hour treatment program was provided. Significantly greater behavioral improvement occured for treated than for control children. However, at follow-up, these differences were no longer…

The promise of behavioral community research remains vibrant today, but behavior analysts are reminded that there are differences among advocacy, application, and research; there are many forms of research; knowledge alone is often insufficient to foster long-term change; and the complex environments of most community work involve multiple and…

This paper expresses concerns about implementing the behavior analysis values for community intervention expressed by Stephen Fawcett in EC 602 711. Concerns include inclusion of participants in selecting research goals, methods, and outcome measures; research impact on public policy; tension between research requirements and research settings;…

This paper argues that many social validity processes in applied behavior analysis are actually measuring consumer satisfaction and not the habilitative validity of goals, procedures, or outcomes. The term "habilitative validation" is proposed to replace social validity, and use of more objective assessment methods is encouraged.…

This article attempts to present a multidimensional perspective of functional behavioral analysis that will lead to psychoeducational interventions in which students with emotional/behavioral disorders are taught to think clearly, solve problems, and self-regulate the intensity of their emotions. (Contains references.) (Author/DB)

This article discusses the contributions of applied behavior analysis (ABA) in effective instruction of students with autism spectrum disorders. Emphasis is on the use of antecedent interventions and curriculum-based assessment. It also notes that the principles and methods of ABA are being integrated into routine educational procedures, including…

Examines home behavior and maternal perception of three girls (ages 10-11) with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder before and after parent training intervention. Parent ratings of behavior and emotional states were collected, and observations were made of child and parent home behaviors. Data showed that child compliance improved in two…

Reviews basic principles and practices of child behavioral assessment. Examines the effects of cognitive-behavioral interventions in the treatment of school refusal. Concludes that these interventions can be enhanced by a prescriptive treatment approach in which assessment information is used to tailor treatment to the specified problem of a given…

Parents of delinquents often display unconstructive behavioral patterns. The effects of behavior contracting with juvenile delinquents in response to these patterns was examined. Delinquent youth (N=72) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) controls, receiving normal court treatment; (2) a Family Contracting (FC) group, diverted…

The paper discusses literature which reports biological factors of criminal behavior and suggests how such biological characteristics might interact with the learning of moral behavior. The first three studies of predelinquent and prerecidivistic criminals measured autonomic nervous system responses to stress. Those who later became delinquent…