bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE EFFECTS OF PRESESSION ATTENTION ON PROBLEM BEHAVIOR MAINTAINED BY DIFFERENT REINFORCERS
Authors: McComas Jennifer J. , Thompson Andrea , Johnson LeAnne
Published: March 2006

The effect of presession attention on the later occurrence of problem behavior was examined with elementary‐school children with a range of disabilities. Results of analogue functional analyses suggested an escape function, an attention function, or both. Following the analogue functional analyses, the effects of two antecedent conditions (10‐min ignore vs. 10‐min attention) were compared on problem behavior in subsequent test conditions. For participants who displayed attention‐maintained problem behavior, the test condition involved contingent attention for problem behavior. For participants who displayed escape‐maintained problem behavior, the test condition involved contingent escape for problem behavior. Results indicated that participants who displayed attention‐maintained problem behavior displayed less problem behavior following presession exposure to attention than when ignored. No such effect was found for presession attention on escape‐maintained problem behavior. We discuss matching antecedent‐based interventions to the results of functional analysis.
ON THE RELATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS OF POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT AND ESCAPE EXTINCTION IN THE TREATMENT OF FOOD REFUSAL
Authors: Piazza Cathleen C. , Patel Meeta R. , Gulotta Charles S. , Sevin Bart M. , Layer Stacy A.
Published: March 2006

We compared the effects of positive reinforcement alone, escape extinction alone, and positive reinforcement with escape extinction in the treatment of the food and fluid refusal of 4 children who had been diagnosed with a pediatric feeding disorder. Consumption did not increase when positive reinforcement was implemented alone. By contrast, consumption increased for all participants when escape extinction was implemented, independent of the presence or absence of positive reinforcement. However, the addition of positive reinforcement to escape extinction was associated with beneficial effects (e.g., greater decreases in negative vocalizations and inappropriate behavior) for some participants.
BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT OF CHILDREN WITH PHONOLOGICAL DISORDER: THE EFFICACY OF VOCAL IMITATION AND SUFFICIENT‐RESPONSE‐EXEMPLAR TRAINING
Authors: Eikeseth Svein , Nesset Rannveig
Published: March 2006

This study examined whether sufficient‐response‐exemplar training of vocal imitation would result in improved articulation in children with phonological disorder, and whether improved articulation established in the context of vocal imitation would transfer to other verbal classes such as object naming and conversational speech. Participant 1 was 6 years old and attended first grade in a regular public school. Participant 2 was 5 years 4 months old and attended a public kindergarten. Both participants had normal hearing and no additional handicaps. A multiple baseline design across behaviors (target sounds or blends) was employed to examine whether the vocal imitation training resulted in improved articulation. Results showed that both participants improved articulation once training was implemented, and that the improved articulation transferred from vocal imitation to more natural speech such as object naming and conversational speech. Improvement established during training was maintained posttraining and at a 6‐month follow‐up.
AN ANALYSIS OF AVERSIVE STIMULI IN CLASSROOM DEMAND CONTEXTS
Authors: Moore James W. , Edwards Ron P.
Published: March 2006

Although recent research has identified numerous variables that can affect behavior maintained by negative reinforcement, questions remain concerning the potential aspects of the demand context that evoke problem behavior. To date, few studies have examined these questions within general education classrooms. The current study assessed the influence of social and task‐difficulty variables on problem behavior maintained by negative reinforcement. Teachers in general education classrooms implemented three analyses to determine the influence of these variables on the problem behavior of 4 boys. Results are discussed in terms of response covariation within the demand context.
THE USE OF AN ESCAPE CONTINGENCY AND A TOKEN ECONOMY TO INCREASE FOOD ACCEPTANCE
Authors: Kahng Sung Woo , Boscoe James H. , Byrne Shannon
Published: March 2006

Escape (termination of a meal) and token‐based differential reinforcement of alternative behavior were used as reinforcement to increase acceptance of food. Using a changing criterion design, the number of bites accepted and consumed was gradually increased to 15 bites per meal. These data suggest that, in some cases, escape may be a potent reinforcer for food acceptance.
ALTERING THE TIMING OF ACADEMIC PROMPTS TO TREAT DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR MAINTAINED BY ESCAPE
Authors: Ebanks Mercedes E. , Fisher Wayne W.
Published: March 2006

Following a functional analysis showing that destructive behavior was reinforced by escape, we altered the aversiveness of task demands by interspersing easy and difficult tasks and by presenting a corrective prompt as an antecedent event the next time a previously failed item was presented; this procedure was compared with one in which the corrective prompt was provided as an immediate consequence. Results of a reversal design showed that the antecedent prompt acted as an establishing operation and reduced destructive behavior to zero.
SEQUENTIAL EVALUATION OF BEHAVIORAL TREATMENTS AND METHYLPHENIDATE DOSAGE FOR CHILDREN WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER
Authors: Gulley Veronica , Northup John , Hupp Steve , Spera Sandi , LeVelle Jim , Ridgway Andrea
Published: March 2006

We used a sequential approach to evaluate the relative and combined effects of different types of behavioral treatments, as well as dosage of methylphenidate (MPH), on the disruptive behavior of 3 students who had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Results showed that individualized behavioral treatments produced decreases in disruptive behavior equivalent to MPH for all 3 participants and demonstrated the need to evaluate behavioral treatments and medication dosage on an individual basis.
DYNAMIC CHANGES IN REINFORCER EFFECTIVENESS: THEORETICAL, METHODOLOGICAL, AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR APPLIED RESEARCH
Authors: Murphy Eric S. , McSweeney Frances K. , Smith Richard G. , McComas Jennifer J.
Published: March 2006

Reinforcers lose their effectiveness when they are presented repeatedly. Traditionally, this loss of effectiveness has been labeled satiation. However, recent evidence suggests that habituation provides a more accurate and useful description. The characteristics of behavior undergoing satiation differ for different stimuli (e.g., food, water), and these characteristics have not been identified for the noningestive reinforcers often used by applied behavior analysts (e.g., praise, attention). As a result, the term satiation provides little guidance for either maintaining or reducing the effectiveness of reinforcers. In contrast, the characteristics of behavior undergoing habituation are well known and are relatively general across species and stimuli. These characteristics provide specific and novel guidance about how to maintain or reduce the effectiveness of a reinforcer. In addition, habituation may lead to a better understanding of several puzzling phenomena in the conditioning literature (e.g., extinction, behavioral contrast), and it may provide a more precise and accurate description of the dynamics of many different types of behavior.
PERSISTENCE OF STEREOTYPIC BEHAVIOR: EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF EXTERNAL REINFORCERS
Authors: Ahearn William H. , Clark Kathy M. , Gardenier Nicole C. , Chung Bo In , Dube William V.
Published: March 2006

Basic research has shown that behavioral persistence is often positively related to rate of reinforcement. This relation, expressed in the metaphor of behavioral momentum, has potentially important implications for clinical application. The current study examined one prediction of the momentum metaphor for automatically reinforced behavior. Participants were 3 children who had been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder and who engaged in stereotypic behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement. Results suggested that stereotypic behavior was more resistant to disruption following periods of access to preferred stimuli delivered on a variable‐time schedule than following periods without access to preferred stimuli. The implications of these findings for the treatment of automatically reinforced behavior are discussed.
SOCIAL ANTECEDENTS OF CHILDREN'S EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY: A SINGLE‐SUBJECT EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS
Authors: Doepke Karla J. , Henderson Angela L. , Critchfield Thomas S.
Published: March 2006

In a laboratory simulation, a single‐subject design was used to examine the effects of two types of social influence on children's eyewitness testimony, which has not been the subject of systematic behavioral analyses. This study replicates and extends findings from group‐comparison studies, and shows that a topic of pressing social importance is amenable to analysis at the individual level, and therefore, potentially, to a behavioral analysis.
DELAYED MATCHING TO TWO‐PICTURE SAMPLES BY INDIVIDUALS WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES: AN ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF NAMING
Authors: Gutowski Stanley J. , Stromer Robert
Published: March 2006

Delayed matching to complex, two‐picture samples (e.g., cat‐dog) may be improved when the samples occasion differential verbal behavior. In Experiment 1, individuals with mental retardation matched picture comparisons to identical single‐picture samples or to two‐picture samples, one of which was identical to a comparison. Accuracy scores were typically high on single‐picture trials under both simultaneous and delayed matching conditions. Scores on two‐picture trials were also high during the simultaneous condition but were lower during the delay condition. However, scores improved on delayed two‐picture trials when each of the sample pictures was named aloud before comparison responding. Experiment 2 replicated these results with preschoolers with typical development and a youth with mental retardation. Sample naming also improved the preschoolers' matching when the samples were pairs of spoken names and the correct comparison picture matched one of the names. Collectively, the participants could produce the verbal behavior that might have improved performance, but typically did not do so unless the procedure required it. The success of the naming intervention recommends it for improving the observing and remembering of multiple elements of complex instructional stimuli.
EFFECTS OF EXEMPLAR TRAINING IN EXCLUSION RESPONDING ON AUDITORY‐VISUAL DISCRIMINATION TASKS WITH CHILDREN WITH AUTISM
Authors: Carr Deborah
Published: March 2006

In Experiment 1 with 7 autistic children (3 to 6 years old), auditory‐visual exclusion was tested with four unknown word‐item pairs for each child. One child demonstrated exclusion and positive learning outcomes unequivocally with the four auditory‐visual relations. Three children demonstrated exclusion, though inconsistently, and failed to demonstrate positive learning outcomes. The remaining 3 children failed to demonstrate exclusion; therefore, the learning outcome test was omitted. The 6 children who failed to demonstrate exclusion or positive learning outcomes participated in the second experiment. In Experiment 2, nonreinforced exclusion trials with four new unknown word‐item pairs were included in trial blocks that also contained reinforced exclusion trials with the unknown exemplars from Experiment 1. Five children demonstrated exclusion with the new word‐item pairs, and 4 of these demonstrated positive learning outcomes in further tests. One child demonstrated some limited but inconsistent improvement in exclusion and was not tested for learning outcomes. The data suggest that contemporaneous presentation of multiple examples of reinforced exclusion facilitated nonreinforced exclusion performances and that the resulting reduction in errors was critical in producing accurate learning outcomes with the new word‐item discriminations.
EFFECTS OF REINFORCER CONSUMPTION AND MAGNITUDE ON RESPONSE RATES DURING NONCONTINGENT REINFORCEMENT
Authors: Roscoe Eileen M. , Iwata Brian A. , Rand Melissa S.
Published: March 2006

Results of previous research on the effects of noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) have been inconsistent when magnitude of reinforcement was manipulated. We attempted to clarify the influence of NCR magnitude by including additional controls. In Study 1, we examined the effects of reinforcer consumption time by comparing the same magnitude of NCR when session time was and was not corrected to account for reinforcer consumption. Lower response rates were observed when session time was not corrected, indicating that reinforcer consumption can suppress response rates. In Study 2, we first selected varying reinforcer magnitudes (small, medium, and large) on the basis of corrected response rates observed during a contingent reinforcement condition and then compared the effects of these magnitudes during NCR. One participant exhibited lower response rates when large‐magnitude reinforcers were delivered; the other ceased responding altogether even when small‐magnitude reinforcers were delivered. We also compared the effects of the same NCR magnitude (medium) during 10‐min and 30‐min sessions. Lower response rates were observed during 30‐min sessions, indicating that the number of reinforcers consumed across a session can have the same effect as the number consumed per reinforcer delivery. These findings indicate that, even when response rate is corrected to account for reinforcer consumption, larger magnitudes of NCR (defined on either a per‐delivery or per‐session basis) result in lower response rates than do smaller magnitudes.
TRANSLATING MULTIPLE ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES INTO AN INTERVENTION SELECTION MODEL FOR CLASSROOMS
Authors: Mueller Michael M. , Edwards Ron P. , Trahant Dana
Published: March 2006

Translating current research to school‐based clinical practice highlights issues not often encountered in laboratory settings. With the assistance of a consultant, teachers conducted functional analyses, brief multielement treatment comparisons, and controlled treatment evaluations under naturalistic conditions in the classroom. Teachers also provided input on treatment selection. Treatment integrity data collected throughout the study suggested that teachers implemented analyses and treatments with high integrity. The functional analysis outcomes combined with effectiveness and acceptability data led to the selection of interventions that reduced problem behavior in the classrooms for each of 3 children.
AN OUTCOME MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR EXTENDING ADVANCES IN CHOICE RESEARCH INTO CHOICE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUPPORTED WORKERS WITH SEVERE MULTIPLE DISABILITIES
Authors: Reid Dennis H. , Green Carolyn W. , Parsons Marsha B.
Published: March 2006

We evaluated an outcome management program for increasing choice opportunities provided by 2 job coaches for 5 supported workers with severe multiple disabilities in a community job. The program involved specifying and monitoring behavioral outcomes among workers and staff, training staff, and supportive and corrective feedback. Increased choice provision occurred for both job coaches across a 1‐year period. Results indicate how outcome management can help translate advances in choice research into routine practice.
IMPROVING STUDENT BUS‐RIDING BEHAVIOR THROUGH A WHOLE‐SCHOOL INTERVENTION
Authors: Putnam Robert F. , Handler Marcie W. , Ramirez‐Platt Christina M. , Luiselli James K.
Published: March 2006

We describe a multicomponent intervention to improve bus‐riding behavior of students attending an urban public school. The intervention was developed with technical assistance consultation that emphasized collaboration among students, school personnel, and bus drivers. The primary intervention procedures were identifying appropriate behaviors during transportation (“bus rules”), training bus drivers to deliver positive reinforcement, and rewarding student performance through a weekly school‐based lottery. Disruptive bus behaviors, as measured by discipline referrals and suspensions, decreased with intervention relative to baseline phases in an ABAB reversal design. These positive results were maintained over the long term, with school personnel assuming responsibility for intervention in the absence of ongoing consultation.
ACQUISITION OF CUP DRINKING USING PREVIOUSLY REFUSED FOODS AS POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT
Authors: Kelley Michael E. , Piazza Cathleen C. , Fisher Wayne W. , Oberdorff Amanda J.
Published: March 2006

We used previously refused foods as positive and negative reinforcement in the acquisition of cup drinking. Cup drinking increased with positive and negative reinforcement, both alone and in combination (without escape extinction), indicating that treatment of food refusal can establish some foods as appetitive stimuli whereas others remain aversive.
PREFERENCE FOR PROGRESSIVE DELAYS AND CONCURRENT PHYSICAL THERAPY EXERCISE IN AN ADULT WITH ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY
Authors: Dixon Mark R. , Falcomata Terry S.
Published: March 2006

The purpose of this study was to increase self‐control and engagement in a physical therapy task (head holding) for a man with acquired traumatic brain injury. Once impulsivity was observed (i.e., repeated impulsive choices), an experimental condition was introduced that consisted of choices between a small immediate reinforcer, a large fixed‐delay reinforcer, and a large progressive‐delay reinforcer. The participant showed a preference for the progressive‐delay option, even when the duration of the delay exceeded that of the fixed delay. The results have implications for establishing optimal choice making and teaching life‐enhancing skills.
AN EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF READING INTERVENTIONS: GENERALIZATION ACROSS INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES, TIME, AND PASSAGES
Authors: Bonfiglio Christine M. , Daly Edward J. , Martens Brian K. , Lin Lan‐Hsiang Rachel , Corsaut Stacy
Published: March 2006

This study examined the generalized effects of three treatment conditions (performance based, skill based, and a combination of the two) on oral reading fluency by an elementary school student. Results indicated equal effectiveness of all treatments, maintenance, and possible evidence of generalization across passages.
EVALUATION OF A VOCAL MAND ASSESSMENT AND VOCAL MAND TRAINING PROCEDURES
Authors: Bourret Jason , Vollmer Timothy R. , Rapp John T.
Published: March 2006

A common deficiency in the verbal repertoires of individuals with autism and related disorders is the absence of socially appropriate vocal mands. The vocal mand repertoires of these individuals may be lacking in several respects: (a) The individual might engage in no mands whatsoever, (b) the mand might be topographically dissimilar to an appropriate response, (c) the mand might be only partially topographically similar to an appropriate response, and (d) the mand might occur only after prompting. Depending on specific deficiencies in an individual's repertoire, different procedures for establishing appropriate mands may be needed. The purpose of Study 1 was to evaluate an assessment prior to teaching vocal mands for 3 individuals with developmental disabilities. The assessment showed that 1 individual displayed partial utterances of mands, 1 displayed vocal mands after mands had been reinforced, and 1 displayed vocal mands when prompted. Thus, in Study 2, a different teaching strategy was tested for each individual. Results showed that the assessment information could be linked directly to mand training for all 3 participants.
INCREASING VARIETY OF FOODS CONSUMED BY BLENDING NONPREFERRED FOODS INTO PREFERRED FOODS
Authors: Mueller Michael M. , Piazza Cathleen C. , Patel Meeta R. , Kelley Michael E. , Pruett Angela
Published: March 2006

A treatment with differential or noncontingent reinforcement and nonremoval of the spoon increased the acceptance of one or two of 16 foods for 2 participants with severe food refusal. These differential levels of acceptance were demonstrated empirically in an ABAB design in which A was the presentation of the accepted (preferred) foods and B was the presentation of foods the participants refused (nonpreferred foods). Subsequently, we implemented a blending treatment that consisted of mixing (blending) nonpreferred foods into preferred foods in various ratios (e.g., 10% nonpreferred/90% preferred, 20% nonpreferred/80% preferred). We then presented nonpreferred foods that had been exposed to blending to determine if consumption of nonpreferred foods would increase following the blending treatment. We also conducted periodic reversals in which we presented nonpreferred foods that had not been exposed to the blending treatment. Following initial implementation of the blending treatment, consumption was high for nonpreferred foods that had been blended and low for nonpreferred foods that had not been blended. Consumption increased for all foods (i.e., foods that had been exposed to blending and foods that had not been exposed to blending) after seven or eight foods had been exposed to the blending treatment. Thus, the variety of foods consumed by the participants increased from one or two to 16. These results are discussed in terms of stimulus fading, conditioned food preferences, and escape extinction.
PROMOTING RESPONSE VARIABILITY AND STIMULUS GENERALIZATION IN MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING
Authors: Harding Jay W. , Wacker David P. , Berg Wendy K. , Rick Gary , Lee John F.
Published: March 2006

The effects of reinforcement and extinction on response variability and stimulus generalization in the punching and kicking techniques of 2 martial arts students were evaluated across drill and sparring conditions. During both conditions, the students were asked to demonstrate different techniques in response to an instructor's punching attack. During baseline, the students received no feedback on their responses in either condition. During the intervention phase, the students received differential reinforcement in the form of instructor feedback for each different punching or kicking technique they performed during a session of the drill condition, but no reinforcement was provided for techniques in the sparring condition. Results showed that both students increased the number of different techniques they performed when reinforcement and extinction procedures were conducted during the drill condition, and that this increase in response variability generalized to the sparring condition.
INCREASING PRETEND TOY PLAY OF TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES IN AN INCLUSIVE SETTING
Authors: DiCarlo Cynthia F. , Reid Dennis H.
Published: March 2006

We evaluated a program for increasing pretend toy play of 2‐year‐old children with disabilities in an inclusive classroom. Classroom personnel implemented the program, which involved choices of classroom centers containing toys that tend to occasion pretend play in toddlers without disabilities, along with prompting and praise. Increases occurred in independent pretend‐play rates among all 5 participating toddlers. Results are discussed regarding the importance of promoting toy play of very young children with disabilities that is similar to the type of play of their nondisabled peers, and the need to identify critical program components that are applicable in inclusive settings.
USING PAIRED‐CHOICE ASSESSMENT TO IDENTIFY VARIABLES MAINTAINING SLEEP PROBLEMS IN A CHILD WITH SEVERE DISABILITIES
Authors: O'Reilly Mark F. , Lancioni Giulio E. , Sigafoos Jeff
Published: March 2006

In this study, we used a paired‐choice assessment protocol to identify the relative reinforcing value of stimuli and activities for a child with severe disabilities when she failed to settle to sleep at night. The results of this assessment indicated that the child preferred the mother's attention relative to other activities presented. Assessment results were incorporated into an intervention, that produced a reduction in sleep disturbance that was maintained at a 12‐month follow up.
USE OF RESPONSE CARDS WITH A GROUP OF STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES INCLUDING THOSE FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS A SECOND LANGUAGE
Authors: Davis Linda L. , O'Neill Robert E.
Published: March 2006

The current study compared the effects of hand raising and response cards during a writing instruction class in a middle‐school resource classroom with students who were learning English as their second language. Response cards increased the rate and accuracy of academic responding, increased weekly quiz scores, and had mixed effects on off‐task behavior, but most students reported that they preferred hand raising.
FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS AND TREATMENT OF ELOPEMENT FOR A CHILD WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER
Authors: Kodak Tiffany , Grow Laura , Northup John
Published: March 2006

We conducted a functional analysis of elopement in an outdoor setting for a child with a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. A subsequent treatment consisting of noncontingent attention and time‐out was demonstrated to be effective in eliminating elopement. Modifications of functional analysis procedures associated with the occurrence of elopement in a natural setting are demonstrated.
PREPARING TOMORROW'S BEHAVIOR‐ANALYTIC RESEARCHERS: A REVIEW OF RESEARCH METHODS IN APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS BY JON BAILEY AND MARY BURCH
Authors: Austin Jennifer L.
Published: March 2006

Although there are many books about behavioral research methods, there are very few guidebooks. This review describes a book by Jon S. Bailey and Mary R. Burch that has been written specifically as a guide for the new researcher. Replete with helpful tips on navigating the research process, the book is organized into 10 sequential research steps that guide the reader through each phase of conceptualizing, conducting, and analyzing an applied study. Although not as detailed as other texts with regard to the specifics of methodology, this book is reader‐friendly and accessible to both undergraduates and graduate students who are beginning the process of becoming applied behavior‐analytic researchers.
NONCONTINGENT REINFORCEMENT, ALTERNATIVE REINFORCEMENT, AND THE MATCHING LAW: A LABORATORY DEMONSTRATION
Authors: Ecott Cheryl L. , Critchfield Thomas S.
Published: March 2006

Basic researchers, but not most applied researchers, have assumed that the behavior‐decelerating effects of noncontingent reinforcement result at least partly from adventitious reinforcement of competing behaviors. The literature contains only sketchy evidence of these effects because few noncontingent reinforcement studies measure alternative behaviors. A laboratory model is presented in which concurrent schedules of contingent reinforcement were used to establish a “target” and an “alternative” behavior. Imposing noncontingent reinforcement decreased target behavior rates and increased alternative behavior rates, outcomes that were well described by the standard quantitative account of alternative reinforcement, the generalized matching law. These results suggest that adventitious reinforcement of alternative behaviors can occur during noncontingent reinforcement interventions, although the range of conditions under which this occurs remains to be determined in future studies. As an adjunct to applied studies, laboratory models permit easy measurement of alternative behaviors and parametric manipulations needed to answer many research questions.
USE OF A SHORT‐TERM INPATIENT MODEL TO EVALUATE ABERRANT BEHAVIOR: OUTCOME DATA SUMMARIES FROM 1996 TO 2001
Authors: Asmus Jennifer M. , Ringdahl Joel E. , Sellers Jennifer A. , Call Nathan A. , Andelman Marc S. , Wacker David P.
Published: March 2006

Previous outcome studies have provided descriptions of functional analyses conducted in outpatient clinics (Derby et al., 1992), long‐term inpatient programs (Iwata, Pace, et al., 1994), and home environments (Wacker et al., 1998). This study provides a description of 138 children and adults with and without developmental disabilities who were evaluated and treated for aberrant behaviors on a short‐term inpatient unit. The results indicated that the functional analyses conducted during a short‐term inpatient evaluation were successful for 96% of the participants in identifying maintaining reinforcers of aberrant behavior and leading to an 80% or greater reduction in aberrant behavior for 76% of the participants in an average of 10 days.
GROSS‐MOTOR SKILL ACQUISITION BY PRESCHOOL DANCE STUDENTS UNDER SELF‐INSTRUCTION PROCEDURES
Authors: Vintere Parsla , Hemmes Nancy S. , Brown Bruce L. , Poulson Claire L.
Published: March 2006

The effects of two training procedures—(a) modeling and praise and (b) self‐instruction, modeling, and praise—on complex gross‐motor chain acquisition for preschool dance class students were evaluated. Six girls participated in the study. A multiple baseline design across six gross‐motor chains with a secondary group comparison for treatment order effects was used. Both procedures were effective in teaching the gross‐motor chains. Nevertheless, for 4 of the 6 participants, the self‐instruction procedure produced a faster acquisition rate in at least two of the three comparable pairs of gross‐motor chains. Furthermore, very early in gross‐motor chain acquisition, for five of the six gross‐motor chains, the self‐instruction condition was associated with faster response acquisition.
A COMPARISON OF DENSE‐TO‐LEAN AND FIXED LEAN SCHEDULES OF ALTERNATIVE REINFORCEMENT AND EXTINCTION
Authors: Hagopian Louis P. , Toole Lisa M. , Long Ethan S. , Bowman Lynn G. , Lieving Gregory A.
Published: March 2006

Behavior‐reduction interventions typically employ dense schedules of alternative reinforcement in conjunction with operant extinction for problem behavior. After problem behavior is reduced in the initial treatment stages, schedule thinning is routinely conducted to make the intervention more practical in natural environments. In the current investigation, two methods for thinning alternative reinforcement schedules were compared for 3 clients who exhibited severe problem behavior. In the dense‐to‐lean (DTL) condition, reinforcement was delivered on relatively dense schedules (using noncontingent reinforcement for 1 participant and functional communication training for 2 participants), followed by systematic schedule thinning to progressively leaner schedules. During the fixed lean (FL) condition, reinforcement was delivered on lean schedules (equivalent to the terminal schedule of the DTL condition). The FL condition produced a quicker attainment of individual treatment goals for 2 of the 3 participants. The results are discussed in terms of the potential utility of using relatively lean schedules at treatment outset.
EFFECTS OF A DRIVER ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM ON YIELDING TO PEDESTRIANS
Authors: Van Houten Ron , Malenfant J. E. Louis
Published: March 2006

A driver‐yielding enforcement program that included decoy pedestrians, feedback flyers, written and verbal warnings, and saturation enforcement for a 2‐week period was evaluated in the city of Miami Beach using a multiple baseline design. During baseline, data were collected at crosswalks along two major corridors. Treatment was introduced first at selected crosswalks without traffic signals along one corridor. A week later, enforcement was shifted to crosswalks along the second corridor. Results indicated that the percentage of drivers yielding to pedestrians increased following the introduction of the enforcement program in each corridor and that these increases were sustained for a period of a year with minimal additional enforcement. The effects also generalized somewhat to untreated crosswalks in both corridors, as well as to crosswalks with traffic signals.
FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS AND TREATMENT OF THE BIZARRE SPEECH OF DUALLY DIAGNOSED ADULTS
Authors: Lancaster Blake M. , LeBlanc Linda A. , Carr James E. , Brenske Shasta , Peet Mary M. , Culver Steven J.
Published: March 2006

Nine behavior‐analytic studies, each reporting data for a single participant, have shown that bizarre speech can be maintained by social reinforcement. In the current study, we controlled for a possible referral bias in this literature by including nonreferred participants with dual diagnoses. Functional analyses identified attention functions for 2 participants and nonsocial functions for the others. Noncontingent reinforcement decreased the bizarre speech of both participants who displayed attention‐maintained bizarre speech.
A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF RESPONSE CARDS ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND PARTICIPATION IN AN UPPER DIVISION UNIVERSITY COURSE
Authors: Marmolejo Erick K. , Wilder David A. , Bradley Lucas
Published: March 2006

We evaluated the effects of response cards on student quiz scores and participation in an upper division undergraduate course at a small, private university. Results showed that response cards increased both quiz scores and student participation. In addition, a measure of the social validity of the response‐card procedure suggested that students approved of the use of the cards.
CREATING TIC SUPPRESSION: COMPARING THE EFFECTS OF VERBAL INSTRUCTION TO DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT
Authors: Woods Douglas W. , Himle Michael B.
Published: March 2006

The purpose of this study was to compare two methods designed to produce tic reduction in 4 children with Tourette's syndrome. Specifically, a verbal instruction not to engage in tics was compared to a verbal instruction plus differential reinforcement of zero‐rate behavior (DRO). Results showed that the DRO‐enhanced procedure yielded greater reductions in tic frequency.
ANALYSIS OF RESPONSE ALLOCATION IN INDIVIDUALS WITH MULTIPLE FORMS OF STEREOTYPED BEHAVIOR
Authors: Rapp John T. , Vollmer Timothy R. , St. Peter Claire , Dozier Claudia L. , Cotnoir Nicole M.
Published: March 2006

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate response allocation of stereotypy during free‐operant and restricted‐operant conditions. Five children with autism or related developmental disabilities participated in at least one and up to three of the experiments. In Experiment 1, the stereotypic response that emerged as most probable during a free‐operant phase was restricted, and response allocation was again evaluated. The results for 3 participants showed that restricting the high‐probability response was correlated with covarying reductions in a nontargeted stereotypy. In Experiment 2, the effect of environmental enrichment on response allocation was evaluated. One participant reallocated behavior to appropriate object manipulation, 1 participant showed no change in behavior, and a 3rd participant reallocated behavior to object manipulation only when the putative stimulus products of the object manipulation matched those of stereotypy. In Experiment 3, additional interventions were implemented to promote response reallocation. Results showed that both response restriction and reinforcement for object manipulation decreased stereotypy and increased object manipulation. Collectively, the results of these experiments point to a need for complex evaluations of interventions for stereotypy.
COMPARISON OF TWO PROCEDURES FOR TEACHING DICTATED‐WORD/SYMBOL RELATIONS TO LEARNERS WITH AUTISM
Authors: Clark Kathleen M. , Green Gina
Published: March 2006

The efficacy of exclusion and delayed‐cue procedures for establishing novel dictated‐word/symbol relations with 2 boys with autism was compared using computerized match‐to‐sample procedures. Acquisition of the relations under the two training conditions was compared via an alternating treatments design. The delayed‐cue procedure was more efficacious than the exclusion procedure in four of five comparisons across participants.
EFFECTS OF A REVIEWER‐PROMPTING STRATEGY ON TIMELY MANUSCRIPT REVIEWS
Authors: Caruso Mary , Kennedy Craig H.
Published: March 2006

We studied a reviewer‐prompting system designed to improve the timeliness of journal reviews. The prompting system consisted of an e‐mail message sent individually to reviewers noting the manuscript number, review due date, and associated social amenities for the timely completion of the task. Our results indicated that the prompting system increased timely reviews.
INCREASING THE HAPPINESS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH PROFOUND MULTIPLE DISABILITIES: REPLICATION AND EXTENSION
Authors: Davis Paula K. , Young Amanda , Cherry Hollie , Dahman Dana , Rehfeldt Ruth Anne
Published: March 2006

A multielement design was used to compare the effects of three treatments on the happiness of 3 individuals with profound multiple disabilities. The conditions were typical programming using materials selected by staff, presentation of preferred materials plus social interaction, and social interaction alone with no materials present. Both the presentation of the preferred items with social interaction and social interaction alone resulted in higher happiness indicators than typical programming. The combination of preferred items and social interactions was somewhat superior to social interaction alone.
THE EFFECTS OF BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TRAINING ON STAFF IMPLEMENTATION OF DISCRETE‐TRIAL TEACHING
Authors: Sarokoff Randi A. , Sturmey Peter
Published: March 2006

A behavioral skills training package was used to train 3 teachers to correctly implement discrete‐trial teaching. The mean baseline proportion of possible correct teaching responses for Teachers 1, 2, and 3 increased from 43%, 49%, and 43%, respectively, during baseline to 97%, 98%, and 99%, respectively, following training. These data indicate that the training package consisting of instructions, feedback, rehearsal, and modeling produced rapid and large improvements in the teachers' implementation of discrete‐trial teaching.
FACTS, INTERPRETATIONS, AND EXPLANATIONS: A REVIEW OF EVELYN FOX KELLER'S MAKING SENSE OF LIFE
Authors: Kennedy Craig H.
Published: March 2006

The job of a researcher is to explain the phenomenon that he or she is seeking to understand. To do this requires the accumulation of facts. These facts are then interpreted to arrive at explanations. However, individual researchers often interpret facts in different ways and arrive at disparate explanations. In her book, Making Sense of Life, Evelyn Fox Keller (2002) outlines various approaches used by developmental biologists to understand the animate systems we call life. In this review, I note several parallels between biology and behavior analysis in how facts are discovered, what is an acceptable interpretation of data, and how explanations are arrived at.
TEACHING TEENAGERS WITH AUTISM TO SEEK ASSISTANCE WHEN LOST
Authors: Taylor Bridget A. , Hughes Carrie E. , Richard Erin , Hoch Hannah , Coello Andrea Rodriquez
Published: March 2006

Three teenagers with autism were taught to respond to a vibrating pager to seek assistance in community settings when physically separated from their parents or teachers. A multiple baseline probe design across participants demonstrated that, upon being paged, participants successfully handed a communication card to a community member indicating that they were lost. Generalization was assessed in nontraining community sites and on outings with the participants' parents.
AN EVALUATION OF RESPONSE COST IN THE TREATMENT OF INAPPROPRIATE VOCALIZATIONS MAINTAINED BY AUTOMATIC REINFORCEMENT
Authors: Falcomata Terry S. , Roane Henry S. , Hovanetz Alyson N. , Kettering Tracy L. , Keeney Kris M.
Published: March 2006

In the current study, we examined the utility of a procedure consisting of noncontingent reinforcement with and without response cost in the treatment of inappropriate vocalizations maintained by automatic reinforcement. Results are discussed in terms of examining the variables that contribute to the effectiveness of response cost as treatment for problem behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement.
EFFECTS OF VIDEO MODELING ON SOCIAL INITIATIONS BY CHILDREN WITH AUTISM
Authors: Nikopoulos Christos K. , Keenan Michael
Published: March 2006

We examined the effects of a video modeling intervention on social initiation and play behaviors with 3 children with autism using a multiple baseline across subjects design. Each child watched a videotape showing a typically developing peer, and the experimenter engaged in a simple social interactive play using one toy. For all children, social initiation and reciprocal play skills were enhanced, and these effects were maintained at 1‐ and 3‐month follow‐up periods.
EXTENDED DIAPER WEARING: EFFECTS ON CONTINENCE IN AND OUT OF THE DIAPER
Authors: Tarbox Rachel S. F. , Williams W. Larry , Friman Patrick C.
Published: March 2006

Diaper use is widespread and possibly even increasing across diverse populations in the United States, ranging from infants to very old adults. We found no reports of an experimental analysis of the effect of wearing diapers on the frequency of urinary accidents and the attainment of continence skills (e.g., urinating in the toilet). In this study, we used a withdrawal design to evaluate the effect of wearing diapers on daily urinary accidents and successful voids for an adult who had been diagnosed with mental retardation. Results indicated that wearing diapers increased the rate of accidents and decreased the rate of successful voids. Clinical implications of these results are discussed.
ESTABLISHING DERIVED REQUESTING SKILLS IN ADULTS WITH SEVERE DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
Authors: Rehfeldt Ruth Anne , Root Shannon L.
Published: March 2006

This project examined whether a history of reinforced relational responding would result in derived requesting skills in 3 adults with disabilities. Participants were first taught to request preferred items using pictures; they were then taught conditional discriminations between pictures and their dictated names and between dictated names and their corresponding text. Finally, requests for preferred items using corresponding text were evaluated. All 3 participants demonstrated derived requesting skills.
A SYSTEMATIC EVALUATION OF FOOD TEXTURES TO DECREASE PACKING AND INCREASE ORAL INTAKE IN CHILDREN WITH PEDIATRIC FEEDING DISORDERS
Authors: Patel Meeta R. , Piazza Cathleen C. , Layer Stacy A. , Coleman Russell , Swartzwelder Dana M.
Published: March 2006

This study examined packing (pocketing or holding accepted food in the mouth) in 3 children who were failing to thrive or had inadequate weight gain due to insufficient caloric intake. The results of an analysis of texture indicated that total grams consumed were higher when lower textured foods were presented than when higher textured foods were presented. The gram intake was related directly to levels of packing. That is, high levels of packing were associated with higher textured foods and low gram intake, and low levels of packing were associated with lower textured foods and high gram intake. All participants gained weight when texture of foods was decreased. Packing remained low during follow‐up for 2 participants even when the texture of food was increased gradually over time. These data are discussed in relation to avoidance, response effort, and skill deficit.
USE OF A LAG DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT CONTINGENCY TO INCREASE VARIED SELECTIONS OF CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Authors: Cammilleri Anthony P. , Hanley Gregory P.
Published: March 2006

The present study evaluated the effects of a lag differential reinforcement contingency on 2 students' activity selections using reversal designs. Results showed that the lag contingency was responsible for promoting increased novel selections, engagement in diverse activities, and greater progress with respect to programmed academic activities.
Redeeming Hollow Promises: The Case for Mandatory Spending on Health Care for American Indians and Alaska Natives
Authors: Westmoreland Timothy M. , Watson Kathryn R.
Published: March 2006

The reliance on discretionary spending for American Indian/ Alaska Native health care has produced a system that is insufficient and unreliable and is associated with ongoing health disparities. Moreover, the gap between mandatory spending on a Medicare beneficiary and discretionary spending on an American Indian/Alaska Native beneficiary has grown dramatically, thus compounding the problem.

The budget classification for American Indian/Alaska Native health services should be changed, and health care delivery to this population should be designated as mandatory spending. If a correct structure is in place, mandatory spending is more likely to provide adequate funding that keeps pace with changes in costs and need.
Research Careers for American Indian/Alaska Native Nurses: Pathway to Elimination of Health Disparities
Authors: Henly Susan J. , Struthers Roxanne , Dahlen Barbara K. , Ide Bette , Patchell Beverly , Holtzclaw Barbara J.
Published: March 2006

The health status of American Indians/Alaska Natives lags behind that of the US population. American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) nurses are on the front lines of health services for AIAN people. They have the potential to make scientific contributions as well, but are under-represented among researchers working to understand health disparities.

The AIAN MS-to-PhD Nursing Science Bridge, at the University of Minnesota, in partnership with the Universities of North Dakota and Oklahoma, provides support for AIAN nurses during the critical training transition from masters of science to doctoral programs. Partner schools collaborate with AIAN elders, medicine people/spiritual leaders, and academic consultants to (1) foster academic success and strengthen the AIAN identity of students during their research training and (2) bring about institutional change to optimize student experiences. Future research programs developed by this cadre of AIAN nurse scientists will contribute scientifically sound, culturally acceptable knowledge to effectively improve the health of AIAN people.
Swimming Pool Drownings Among US Residents Aged 5–24 Years: Understanding Racial/Ethnic Disparities
Authors: Saluja Gitanjali , Brenner Ruth A. , Trumble Ann C. , Smith Gordon S. , Schroeder Tom , Cox Christopher
Published: March 2006

Objective. We examined circumstances surrounding swimming pool drownings among US residents aged 5 to 24 years to understand why Black males and other racial/ethnic groups have high drowning rates.

Methods. We obtained data about drowning deaths in the United States (1995–1998) from death certificates, medical examiner reports, and newspaper clippings collected by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Results. During the study period, 678 US residents aged 5 to 24 years drowned in pools. Seventy-five percent were male, 47% were Black, 33% were White, and 12% were Hispanic. Drowning rates were highest among Black males, and this increased risk persisted after we controlled for income. The majority of Black victims (51%) drowned in public pools, the majority of White victims (55%) drowned in residential pools, and the majority of Hispanic victims (35%) drowned in neighborhood pools (e.g., an apartment complex pool). Foreign-born males also had an increased risk for drowning compared with American-born males.

Conclusions. Targeted interventions are needed to reduce the incidence of swimming pool drownings across racial/ethnic groups, particularly adult supervision at public pools.
Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Specialty Treatment Services and Race/ Ethnicity: A National Study of Children and Families Involved With Child Welfare
Authors: Libby Anne M. , Orton Heather D. , Barth Richard P. , Webb Mary Bruce , Burns Barbara J. , Wood Patricia , Spicer Paul
Published: March 2006

We used data on a national sample of children involved with child welfare systems to compare American Indian caregivers with White, Black, and Hispanic caregivers in their need for, and receipt of, specialty alcohol, drug, and mental health treatment. American Indian caregivers were significantly less likely to receive services than were Hispanic caregivers (P<.05) but not significantly less likely than were White or Black caregivers. Child placement, child age, and caregiver psychiatric comorbidity were significantly associated with service receipt.