We assessed whether novel praise statements could be used to (a) maintain and increase responses with existing reinforcement histories and (b) teach a previously untaught response among children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder across two experiments. During response-stimulus pairing, two responses resulted in preferred edibles but only one…

Literature has shown that foreign-accented (FA) speech modulates the degree of irony perceived by native (NA) individuals, but the subsequent consequences it may have on social interaction are unknown. To address this question, we presented Spanish first language (L1) users with written contexts with ironic/literal praises allocated to either a NA…

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…

Managing student behavior is an essential component to creating positive and productive learning environments for school-aged children. As more teachers shift to synchronous online teaching, they face managing student behavior in a new learning environment that can pose distinctive challenges. Fortunately, teachers can bring to their online…

We observed three children with autism spectrum disorder during structured play dates in which play partners displayed interest or disinterest in the toys with which they were playing. We then taught subjects to identify play partners' preferences and to make appropriate toy offers using a multiple-exemplar training package consisting of rules,…

Due to a shortage of special education teachers and an increase in the number of students with disabilities, the use of paraeducators is common. Paraeducators frequently provide instruction, under the direction of a teacher, to support elementary students with disabilities in elementary school classrooms. However, if and how paraeducators…

High-levels of classroom engagement and on-task behavior have been linked to positive outcomes for students. In traditional classroom settings when levels of on-task behaviors are low, teacher integration of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) can facilitate improvement in student engagement. PBIS strategies such as creating clear…

This research examined the idea that children's inferences about their parents' goals for them is a possible mechanism by which parents' responses to their children's performance contribute to children's psychological functioning. American (N = 447; M[subscript age] = 13.24 years; 49% girls; 95% European American) and Chinese (N = 439; M[subscript…

Previous research has shown that praise is an effective reinforcer; however, few researchers have evaluated whether qualitative differences in praise affect responding. The purpose of the current study was to compare the effects of neutral, enthusiastic, and no praise on the rate of matching-to-sample acquisition during discrete-trial training…

The present comments concern Michael's concept of motivative variables, and the implications of that concept for our understanding of the nature of reinforcement as well as the extinction of responses maintained through positive and negative reinforcement. We note that both extinction and altering motivative variables decrease responding, but…

This practice guide is an updated version of "Supporting and Responding to Behavior: Evidence-based Classroom Strategies for Teachers" (see ED619696) that replaces, rather than supplements, the first version. This guide summarizes evidence-based, positive, and proactive practices that support and respond to students' social, emotional,…

Background: Parenting behaviors have consistently been shown to be associated with elevated anxiety symptoms and disorders in children. However, this literature is limited as most studies have focused on global rather than specific parenting behaviors, failed to consistently account for the influence of parental anxiety, and omitted examining…

Despite over 50 years of research and discussion concerning school-based interventions for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), a discernible consensus regarding the core elements of intervention for this student population remains elusive. This discordance is seen by many as an obstacle to the proper design, dissemination, and…

In this study, we (a) describe patterns of challenging student behaviors (classwide and for a target student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]) and teacher behaviors (i.e., praise, commands, and responses to challenging behavior) in kindergarten through Grade 5 classrooms, (b) examine the relations between these behaviors, and…

Research suggests that school-aged individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) tend to be less physically active than their typically developing peers (e.g., Shields, King, Corbett, & Imms, 2014). While these students can be successful in acquiring motor and sport-related skills during physical education, they tend not to use those skills…