Public schools that use punitive approaches toward student discipline can unwittingly promote violence and other antisocial behavior. This article reviews constructive and preventive methods to reduce school violence and vandalism. Various strategies are presented and discussed. (Contains 62 references.) (Author)

Interviews 6 months after 14 social services employees participated in inservice training identified job and work environment factors that impede transfer of training: short duration, lack of time and opportunity to practice, minimal supervisor support, and the perception that such training was more for personal development than application to the…

This article reviews 49 studies describing the use of differential reinforcement procedures to reduce maladaptive responding of persons with severe or profound mental retardation. Reviewed were the differential reinforcement of (1) alternative behavior; (2) low rates of responding; (3) other behavior; and (4) incompatible behavior. Findings were…

To increase the number of times that a woman with severe disabilities complied with requests to take prescribed oral medication, the woman was asked to follow a number of requests with which she typically complied, her compliance was reinforced, and then she was requested to take the medication. (Author/JDD)

The conflict between viewing aversive therapeutic interventions with mentally retarded persons from either an ideological or scientific perspective is examined. It is concluded that some of those who reject aversive therapeutic interventions do so out of a poor understanding of behavioral science and a primarily ideological frame of reference.…

The authors respond to comments of colleagues concerning their study on reinforcement contingencies defined by the response deprivation hypothesis with moderately mentally retarded persons. They stress the importance of basic research in this area and the need for such research to demonstrate its application to real world problems. (DB)

This article outlines some of the projects and activities which exist at New Hope Elementary School (MN). Discussed are parent awareness activities, use of positive reinforcement by school personnel, a reading incentive program, the gifted and talented program, career exploration for girls, and a peer assistance program for teachers. (IAH)

Explains proper and improper interpretations of the author's assertive discipline program. Teachers need to communicate clear rules for the classroom, teach students how to follow them, employ positive reinforcement, and use firm and consistent negative consequences for rule-breakers as a last resort. Includes five references. (MLH)

The study evaluated the effects of a time-efficient reinforcer assessment package with three preschoolers with autism. Systematic assessment of children's reinforcers for correct responding virtually eliminated nontargeted maladaptive behaviors, and yielded expected improvements in accuracy. (Author/DB)

Examined the relation between 72 mothers' attitudes and practices regarding the use of rewards and their second- through fifth-grade children's susceptibility to the undermining effects of rewards. It was suggested that children's responses to rewards depend in part on their experiences with rewards. (RJC)

The study compared the effectiveness of two different reinforcement conditions to teach speech to severely handicapped nonverbal autistic children (N=4). Findings indicated that reinforcing speech attempts was more effective than reinforcing motor speech sounds in terms of both children's interest and behavior and of improvements in children's…

The literature on the use of physical restraint with adults and children with mental retardation is reviewed, including person-to-person restraint, mechanical devices, and voluntary self-restraint. Conclusions regarding outcomes of contingent and noncontingent restraint, maintenance, reinforcing effects of restraint, and risk of injury are…

Seven parents conducted assessments in an outpatient clinic using a prescribed hierarchy of antecedent and consequence treatment components for their children's problem behavior. Brief assessment of potential treatment components identified variables controlling children's appropriate behavior. Experimental control was achieved for six of the…

This commentary summarizes methodological and conceptual issues in functional analysis methodologies and offers some suggestions for their resolution. Considered are increasing complexity, absence of contingencies during assessment, use of subtle manipulations, alternative assessment strategies, analysis of antecedent influences on behavior,…

Continuing medical education providers often develop implementation strategies for clinical practice guidelines and can help facilitate their adoption. Their efforts will be more effective if they reinforce guidelines through local study groups, opinion leaders, clinical recall interviews, audits, and individualized feedback. (SK)