bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organization and Orientation: A Life Cycle Model of French Co-operatives
Authors: Batstone Eric
Published: March 2007

This paper assesses how far the theses of co-operative degeneration and decline apply to the French experience. After outlining the arguments concerning cooperative failure in terms of market, democratic and labour-oriented terms, the paper shows that a sample of 60 French co-operatives-particularly the more democratic of them-outperformed capitalist enterprises in economic terms and yet still maintained a strong labour orientation. The final section develops a life cycle model of co-operatives which indicates there is not a steady, long-term decline in economic performance, democracy or labour orientation.
The Cooperative Labour Strategy in the US Auto Industry
Authors: Wood Stephen
Published: March 2007

The possibility of the end of Taylorism and Fordism is increasingly taking a central stage in the sociology of work. Such arguments imply that the increasing use of flexible technology, allied to changes in product markets, requires flexibility within the workforce. This paper concentrates on the US auto industry, where commentators on the recent industrial relations scene tend to stress a move from a system of antagonism to one of cooperation. The author suggests that the worker participation schemes in the industry appear to have taken on an enduring quality in the 1980s with the intensification of Japanese competition, usage of new production methods and transition to higher levels of automation. Yet the production methods remain within the mass production regime and any increased flexibility demanded is limited. The 'new' industrial relations is more about the intensified internationalism and competition in the industry, and less about a new multiskilled worker precipitated by the new technology. Many of its aspects are concerned with increased managerial control which may in themselves become a source of conflict.
Gender and Technology at the Mondragon System of Producer Cooperatives
Authors: Hacker Sally L.
Published: March 2007

Mondragon is known as a system of democratically structured producer cooperatives, yet the condition of women workers is only somewhat better, relative to men, than in capitalist or already existing socialist organizations. Three major factors appear responsible. First, waged or not, women have responsibility for the home. Second, a capitalist market devalues social goals. Third, and the primary topic of this paper, men control decisions about technology, commonly understood. As in other industrial settings, the manufacturing technology of the cooperatives, and much of their administrative apparatus, have origins in patriarchal military institutions. Engineering education, also with roots in military institutions, is one source of gender maintenance during times of technological transformation. This hierarchical organization of technology stands in contradiction to the ideology and core elements of cooperative structure.
Towards Flexible Skill Formation and Technological Literacy: Challenges Facing the Education System
Authors: Mathews John , Hall Graeme , Smith Helen
Published: March 2007

This paper looks at the changes occurring in Australia's economy and industry, and the challenges these pose for the education system. The paper outlines a response to these challenges that focuses on flexible skill formation and the development of technological literacy, which are taken to constitute the preconditions required of any citizen to be active in the democratic system. The paper draws on the literature that characterizes the current upheavals in industry as the transition from one technological paradigm to another - from a paradigm based on mass production, mass consumption and fragmentation of skills, termed Fordism, to a paradigm based on flexible production patterns, geared to quality rather than quantity, and based on skill enhancement as the foundation of productive work. In sketching an educational response to this change in the techno-economic paradigm, the paper focuses on five issues: coherent career paths; links with industry; linkage; cross-accreditation and work-study arrangements; breaking down curriculum barriers; and flexible learning strategies.
In the Shadow of Formal Rules
Authors: Lado Maria , Toth Ferenc
Published: March 2007

We had better to examine the real practice and its results instead of beautiful words. (C.W. Mills, 1959, The Sociological Imagination) This paper examines the labour process in a Hungarian telecommunications workshop which, at first glance, seems to be organized according to post-assembly line principles. Yet closer examination shows that the 'flexible workers' coexist alongside a formally Taylorist system. The paradox is the result of the 'shortage economy' that prevails in Hungary. Equality among the flexible workers, moreover, does not exist: there are marked divisions between the core workers and the floating periphery, who bear the greater part of the burden.
Self-management and the Politics of Reform: Poland in the 1980s
Authors: Bielasiak Jack
Published: March 2007

Self-management was a central aspect of the reform designed in Poland during 1981. The reform recognized the necessity of (1) economic and political change and (2) governmental and social participation in economic reconstruction. Self-management exemplified these principles as a mechanism linking the state and society within the enterprise. The imposition of martial law, however, reinterpreted the reform blueprint by withdrawing from it political content and socio-political participation. Instead the post1981 normalization imposed a variety of political, legal and institutional restrictions on industrial self-management. The result was an emasculation of the reform process that has contributed to the economic crisis and political stalemate prevailing in Poland during the past decade.
From Societal to Managerial Corporatism: New Forms of Work Organization as a Transformation Vehicle
Authors: Brulin Goran , Nilsson Tommy
Published: March 2007

The 'deconstruction' of the so-called Swedish model -a form of corporatism at the societal level has been very much discussed. New forms of work organization in combination with a rapid development of company level schemes for bonuses, profit-sharing, convertibles and employee share ownership may hit the core of the model, the solidaristic wage policy. In order to maintain the Swedish model, more or less modified, the unions probably have to improve their knowledge of work organization development, support their local bodies and make negotiations on new forms of work organization possible. To be able to prevent increasingly arbitrary wage differences the unions have to develop job classification systems, local job evaluation systems and overall wage statistics. If the unions do not succeed in this policy, the Swedish model will convert into a Japanese form of industrial relations, i.e. managerial corporatism.
Industral Relations in ASEAN and Other Capitalist Countries
Authors: Beresford Melanie , Kelly Di
Published: March 2007

When focusing on countries at different stages of industrial development, a political economy approach to comparative industrial relations analysis avoids the problem of a Eurocentric framework, which excludes countries in regions such as Southeast Asia. Taking the employment relationship as the 'core industrial relation' in capitalist countries, a hierarchy of explanatory variables is used. These variables are first, the mode of production, second, the labour process and finally the historical and cultural specificities of each country. Using these as the basis for analysis, this paper examines industrial relations in ASEAN countries, primarily Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.
The Japanization of Fordism
Authors: Wood Stephen
Published: March 2007

Japan, or more specifically its management methods, has increasingly entered debates about work organization in the 1980s. In so doing it also began to play an important role in the wider Post-Fordist debates about transformations in production regimes and even societies in general. At one extreme Post-Fordists see the Japanese management model as prototypical of the new flexible era they are heralding. At the other extreme Williams et al. have begun to see the Japanese experience as providing significant fuel to their more general questioning of the whole Fordist conceptual edifice which underlies Post-Fordist theses. The argument of this paper suggests that the Japanese model does expose problems of certain concepts of Fordism, particularly the blanket association of Fordist mass production with inflexibility. However, at the labour process level, the Japanese model rests on the fundamental bedrock of Fordism work study, assembly lines, and mass production and marketing. It nevertheless reverses certain features of Fordism particularly by involving workers more in conception than did conventional Taylorism. As such it represents an evolution within Fordism rather than transformation of it, i.e. neo- Fordism not Post-Fordism. Though it is common to incorrectly identify Fordism with rigidity, this alone is not necessary justification for either abandoning it as a useful concept or dismissing its relevance in the context of Japanese management. The author concludes we should settle for a fairly exclusive definition of Fordism, see the issue as one of developing new concepts of it, and above all else not expect Fordism to carry a bigger theoretical burden than it can.
Patterns of Cooperative Management: Beyond the Degeneration Thesis
Authors: Cornforth Chris
Published: March 2007

This paper presents case studies of the development of four relatively long-standing and successful worker cooperatives in the UK. It focuses in particular on how, as a result of growth and pressure for greater efficiency, the cooperatives have developed new management structures and a more specialized division of labour, and how these changes have affected democratic control and accountability. The paper presents further evidence that degeneration is not inevitable as cooperatives age and grow, and details how processes of regeneration may occur. The paper concludes by highlighting some of the different conditions and strategies that support workplace democracy. In particular, as cooperatives grow their management structures and procedures will need to be regularly reviewed and changed, both to remain efficient and give renewed expression to democracy.
A Theoretical Framework for Communily-Based Development
Authors: Wilkinson Paul , Quarter Jack
Published: March 2007

This study proposed a theory of community-based development based upon a case study of the Evangeline region of Prince Edward Island (Canada). Evangeline is a small Acadian community with an economy that is based upon an interrelated system of cooperatives. Since general theories do not provide compelling explanations of how the phenomenon of community-based development takes place in a particular situation, this study adopted an inductive approach. Using a tentative theoretical framework derived from the history of the region and from the community-based development research literature, the study investigated the actual formation process of four Evangeline cooperatives through interviews with the initiators, a review of relevant documents and participant observation by the first author. The framework developed in this study proposes that effective community-based development must include three essential elements: community consciousness; strategies of empowerment; and the establishment of supportive structures. Each of these elements has subcomponents that are essential for community-based development. For community consciousness, these are community attachments and a movement perspective; for empowering activities, these are involvement strategies and strategies of self-reliance; and for supportive structures, the subcomponents are community development organizations to mobilize community resources, and external government and non-government organizations responsive to community initiatives.
Economic Policy for Full Employment: Proposals for Germany
Authors: Huffschmid Jorg
Published: March 2007

Since the mid-1970s, Germany has suffered high unemployment levels. In 1996, there was a shortfall of 6-7 million jobs. Unemployment, which means a loss of production, and is the main cause of poverty and the fiscal crisis, has been exacerbated by reunification and by recent corporate and government strategy. This subordinates all social goals to that of international competitiveness, with downsizing and unemployment used to hold down workers' wages, social benefits, rights and aspirations. The article argues that any alternative economic policy for full employment, more social security, ecological sustainability and economic democracy must, therefore, be based on large-scale public investment, an expanded public sector, reduced working hours and a targeted labour market policy. This would be mostly self-financing and could be defended against a hostile economic environment but would require major changes in the distribution of income and power. The Maastricht Treaty presents new but not insurmountable obstacles.
The Herald of Free Enterprise Disaster
Authors: Dalgleish Tim , Joseph Stephen , Yule William
Published: March 2007

The present article reviews research carried out in cooperation with the survivors of the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry sinking in 1987. The research comprises a series of longitudinal investigations charting the psychological status of a sample of the surviving population on a number of self-report and information processing measures.
The Training and Validation of Behavior Observation and Description Skills
Authors: Dancer Daniel D. , Braukmann Curtis J. , Schumaker Jean B. , Kirigin Kathryn A. , Willner Alan G. , Wolf Montrose M.
Published: March 2007

Teaching critical treatment-related skills to behavior change agents is an important task. One such treatment-related skill would seem to be the ability to observe and specifically describe ongoing appropriate and inappropriate behaviors. In this study, the effectiveness of a training "package" in teaching behavior specificity was demonstrated in two experiments. The package involved written instructions, practice in describing videotaped interactions, skill rehearsals, and detailed positive and corrective feedback. Multiple baseline designs were employed to experimentally,evaluate the effects of training on objective measures designed to reflect the degree of behavioral specificity of trainee descriptions. These objective measures were subsequently found to correlate highly with subjective ratings of the descriptions by child care workers and professional training and research personnel, thus providing evidence of the validity of the objective measures. The research suggests that important behavioral treatment skills can be identified, measured, trained, and validated.
Social Skill Training with and without Modeling for Schizophrenic and Non-Psychotic Hospitalized Psychiatric Patients
Authors: Eisler Richard M. , Blanchard Edward B. , Fitts Harriet , Williams James G.
Published: March 2007

This investigation compared the relative effectiveness of two social skill training packages for patients diagnosed either schizophrenic or non-psychotic. Patients who scored low on a global measure of social skill were randomly assigned to one of three training conditions: social skills training with modeling, social skills training without modeling, and a behavior rehearsal control. Effects of training were assessed on brief role playing and extended interaction tasks. The results indicated that both social skills training programs had positive effects. However, modeling was essential in improving the performance of schizophrenics, but was unnecessary for non-psychotics. The effects of training transferred to semistructured inter-personal conversations. The importance of designing social skill training programs for relatively homogeneous populations was discussed.
Single Subject Designs
Authors: Kratochwill Thomas R. , Brody Gene H.
Published: March 2007

Issues surrounding the application of inferential statistical tests to behavior modification research was presented. Four major behavior modification journals were surveyed from their inception through 1974 for their use of inferential statistical tests in empirical research studies. Results indicated that Behaviour Research and Therapy and Behavior Therapy contained the highest percentage of articles using inferential statistical procedures. Over all journals, nearly all studies employing group designs used inferential statistical tests. Parametric analysis-of-variance and various nonparametric tests were generally the most commonly employed statistics within the journals sampled. Implications of the review suggest that the methodological base of behavior modification research is becoming more diverse as reflected in increased use of group designs where inferential tests are commonly employed. While all journals contained some N=1 experiments which relied on some form of inferential statistics, both valid and invalid applications are noted. Issues surrounding the use of statistics are documented. Implications for research and training are discussed.
Self-Injurious Behavior
Authors: Johnson Willard L. , Baumeister Alfred A.
Published: March 2007

Over 60 published studies of treatment for self-injurious behavior were analyzed. The analysis involved 17 methodological factors which were considered important inclusions in research and reports in this area. Some of the factors evaluated were: quality of subject descriptions, inclusion or omission of reliability data, generalization information, and follow-up procedures. A reference table is provided, listing each study and its respective ratings in the various categories. A brief summary and suggestions for future research are included in the accompanying text.
Behavior Ecology Emerges from Behavior Modification
Authors: Marston Albert R.
Published: March 2007

The position is presented that behavior modification is ready to expand its theoretical and professional base to one which can be described as behavioral ecology. At each level of operation, from individual therapy to broad social applications, behavioral change involves complex rearrangements in the systems surrounding the focal behavior. While symptom substitution in the psychodynamic sense may not be demonstrated, each therapeutic intervention produces a variety of effects both within the person and in his interpersonal network. At the broad social level, behavior modifiers who consider applications of their methods to such problems as population control also need to consider the complex systems effects in any decision to focus on a particular behavior.
Reinforcement Effects on Three Measures of Children's Interest in Math
Authors: Vasta Ross , Stirpe Louise A.
Published: March 2007

The effects of contingent reward on children's interest in an academic activity (math) were investigated in a token economy analog. Three measures of interest were examined using an A-B—a design: (1) amount of the activity produced, (2) quality of the activity produced, and (3) time spent engaging in the activity. Reward was delivered contingent upon the first of these measures. Experimental subjects were exposed to baseline, reinforcement, baseline, and follow-up conditions. A control group received baseline procedures throughout. No evidence of substantial undermining of interest occurred on any measure, although two subjects displayed an immediate, transient decrease in postreward performance.
Twenty-Four Hour Social Isolation
Authors: Foxx Carolyn L. , Foxx Richard M. , Jones James R. , Kiely Denis
Published: March 2007

A program was developed for reducing the aggressive behavior (i.e., attacks on others, self-injury, and property destruction) of an institutionalized, psychotic like, retarded adult male. All previous treatments, including drugs, prolonged custodial restraint, and various behavioral procedures, had been ineffective. The program consisted of excluding the resident from all social interactions for a 24-hour period, although he remained in the living area. Social and intellectual criteria for determining the resident's suitability for the program, an increased density of reinforcement, multiple timeout intervals, and a relaxation training procedure were all included in the program. The program reduced the percentage of days each month in which aggression occurred, from a baseline of about 90C% to 4% in the last month of the program. Comparisons of the resident's medical records before and during the program revealed that there were major reductions in: number of times sutures were required following self-injury (from twelve to four per year); daily Thorazine dosage (from 2000 to 800 mg.); and number of PRN Thorazine injections received (from an average of nine per month to one every other month). This stringent program appears to be an effective and enduring method of treating certain types of chronically aggressive individuals, provided that specific guidelines are followed.
Self-Reported Fears of Rape Victims
Authors: Veronen Lois J. , Kilpatrick Dean G.
Published: March 2007

To test the hypothesis that rape victim fears are classically conditioned (i.e., present during or subsequent to the assault), 20 rape victims and 12 nonvictims completed a Modified Fear Survey which contained standard items from the Wolpe and Lang fear survey as well as items originating from victim reports of fearful situations. The survey was scored for rape fears and total fears. No difference was found between groups on mean rape fears or total fears. However, a significantly greater variance of rape fear scores was observed for victims. Subsequent analyses of items rated as extremely fear-provoking revealed differences between victims and nonvictims. Items and situations rated as most disturbing for rape victims support the hypothesis that victims are significantly disturbed by rape-related situations and associations. Content analysis of highly ranked items suggests that the violent, rather than sexual, aspects of the assaults are most fear-engendering.
Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior in Mentally Retarded Adults
Authors: Matson Johnny L.
Published: March 2007

Three mildly mentally retarded adults who lived in the community were treated for obsessive-compulsive behaviors. The patients were all males who displayed clothes and body checking for extended periods of time prior to initiation of the study. Treatment consisted of differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior for not exhibiting target behaviors, and overcorrection as response suppression was used when inappropriate responses occurred. Experimental conditions were baseline, treatment, and follow up. This was carried out in a multiple baseline design across behaviors, settings, and targets, using time-sampling and self-ratings of response severity via retrospective analysis of videotapes. To establish a social validation criterion, community members were asked to rate tapes of patient behavior from baseline to the end of treatment. Statistical analyses of these ratings were significant with respect to perceived improvement in appropriateness on the target behaviors. Similarly, on frequency counts, target behaviors and self-ratings of anxiety rapidly improved with the advent of treatment. These gains were maintained at the three month follow-up.
Student Ability, Task Difficulty, and Inappropriate Classroom Behavior
Authors: Center David B. , Deitz Samuel M. , Kaufman Melvin E.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a mismatch between student ability and task difficulty upon inappropriate classroom behavior in children with behavior disorders. The mismatch condition was evaluated both with and without a reinforcement contingency on task accuracy. An experimenter-constructed pretest was used to assess the level of math functioning in the 15 subjects. Variations on the A-B—a single-subject experimental design were used to evaluate the independent variables. An increase in inappropriate behavior was found during the mismatch condition both with and without a reinforcement contingency on task accuracy. Results suggested that failure-level academic tasks resulted in significant increases in inappropriate behavior for some students. Implications of this study for special educators are discussed.
Relaxation for the Treatment of Headache
Authors: Williamson Donald A. , Monguillot John E. , Jarrell Mark P. , Cohen Ronald A. , Pratt J. Mark , Blouin David C.
Published: March 2007

The effectiveness of two group relaxation programs for the treatment of headache were evaluated in comparison to a waiting-list control group. A group of 48 subjects diagnosed as either classic migraine, common migraine, muscle-contraction headache, or mixed headache were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions: self-help relaxation therapist-assisted relaxation, or waiting-list control group. Results indicated that both treatment conditions were superior to the waiting-list control group at one-month follow-up. Analysis of changes in headache within each treatment condition, diagnosis, and physiological changes during relaxation were significant predictors of treatment outcome. These findings were discussed in terms of the literature pertaining to the psychological treatment of headache.
A Self-Regulatory Model of Adjunctive Behavior Change
Authors: Schefft Bruce K. , Lehr Beverly K.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this article is to present a model of adjunctive behavior that describes how multiple levels of change are produced in therapy when only single target behavior is altered. Adjunctive behavior in clinical research and therapy outcome studies is examined, and a self-regulatory model using closed-loop feedback principles is described and illustrated. Application of the model in guiding clinical practice is presented with reference to assessment and selection of target behaviors and development of therapeutic interventions. Clinical strategies derived from the model include self-regulatory techniques for initiating, maintaining, and generalizing therapeutic gains.
Attitudes Toward Behavior Modification
Authors: Boivin Michael J. , Sewell Robert G. , Scott Kay
Published: March 2007

Students from four distinct student populations were surveyed, including inmate students at a state prison, students at a private Christian liberal arts college, students at a large state university, and criminal justice students at that state university. Their attitudes toward behavior modification were measured by having them respond to a series of statements developed by Turkat, Harris, and Forehand (1979). The student groups differed in the extent to which they viewed behavior modification as appropriate or ethical with such target populations as prisoners, homosexuals, retarded individuals, normal children, and those with marital problems. It was suggested that the extent to which one views behavior modification as appropriate or ethical depends, at least in part, on the extent to which the proposed target group is stigmatized by one's particular culture. Furthermore, it was quantitatively verified that the overall favorability of one's views regarding behavior modification depends, in part, on the accuracy of one's perceptions regarding what constitutes valid procedures.
Suppression of Pica by Water Mist and Aromatic Ammonia
Authors: Rojahn Johannes , Mcgonigle John J. , Curcio Chris , Dixon M. Joanne
Published: March 2007

This study compared the effects of water mist and aromatic ammonia for the suppression of pica behavior in a severely retarded, autistic adolescent. The water mist program reduced the target behavior rapidly and effectively, whereas the ammonia program did so only after a strong increase during the first two sessions. No negative collateral effects on other inappropriate behaviors occurred during either one of the two treatments. Water mist maintained almost complete suppression of pica behavior during 3 months of daily follow-up sessions in the subject's natural environment.
A Review of Behavioral Treatments for Bulimia Nervosa
Authors: Rosen James C.
Published: March 2007

Despite early pessimism regarding its prognosis, behavior therapy has proven to be an effective treatment for bulimia nervosa. The average reduction in vomiting achieved at the end of behavioral treatment is 70%, with about 44% of patients completely abstinent. Even greater improvements are found in studies that use cognitive and behavioral procedures over a longer period and emphasize relapse prevention. Patients treated with behavior therapy also exhibit improvement on measures of psychological symptoms, self-esteem, and social relationships, though the focus of treatment may be on binge eating and vomiting. Nevertheless, a significant minority of individuals drop out of treatment prematurely or remain unimproved. Still in its early stage, behavior therapy for bulimia nervosa needs much more empirical development and evaluation.
Effects of Undesirable, Competing Behaviors on the Generalization of Adaptive Skills
Authors: Horner Robert H. , Albin Richard W. , Mank David M.
Published: March 2007

This study provides a systematic demonstration of generalization failures in which irrelevant stimulus control of competing responses interferes with, or overrides, the stimulus control of adaptive behavior developed during training. Appropriate and inappropriate verbal responses by a 26-year-old woman with severe mental retardation served as the dependent variables. A reversal design across trained and nontrained settings indicates that presenting a stimulus with a prior history of control over "inappropriate" verbalizations concurrently with a stimulus controlling newly acquired "appropriate" verbalizations significantly reduces the strength of the appropriate stimulus control relationship. The implications for training generalized skills are discussed.
Sequential Assessment of Staff Administration of Contingency Management Procedures on a Child Psychiatric Unit
Authors: Kolko David J. , Mccanna Michael W. , Donaldson Lynn
Published: March 2007

This article is concerned with the assessment of staff adherence to behavior management contingencies on a child psychiatric unit using a staff-patient interaction coding system. The Coding System for Staff-Patient Interactions (CSSPI), which draws upon the parent-child coding system described by Forehand and McMahon (1981), documents up to 10 interactions between staff members and child patients in each 30-second observation interval. The CSSPI includes several staff antecedents, child behaviors, and staff consequences. In this study, the interactions of 31 staff members were observed. The reliability of measurement was established in an analogue setting and on the unit. Descriptive findings showed considerable variability in the rates of individual interactions and the consistency with which appropriate staff responses were made to child behavior. Predictors of staff behavior included work history and nursing stress variables. The implications of these findings for ongoing monitoring and modification of the therapeutic integrity of child psychiatric units is discussed.
Anger Control Training for Adolescents in Residential Treatment
Authors: Dangel Richard F. , Deschner Jeanne P. , Rasp Crobert R.
Published: March 2007

A group of twelve adolescents exhibiting aggressive behavior in a residential treatment center received six weeks of anger control training consisting of thought stopping, relaxation training, and rehearsal of problem-solving, self-talk patterns. The subjects were divided into two groups, and a multiple baseline design was employed. Houseparents kept daily observational records of subjects' verbal and physical aggression. Both observational data and teacher ratings indicated that nine of the subjects reduced their rates of aggression. T1wo did not behave aggressively during the study period. One briefly deteriorated following a major disappointment, after which his aggression rate also declined.
Experiential Aspects of Bulimia Nervosa
Authors: Hsu L. K. George
Published: March 2007

Fifty female bulimic patients were asked to complete a questionnaire describing their experience during a binge-vomit episode. Findings indicated that starvation was a common precipitant of bingeing, as were situations such as being alone and eating something, and dysphoric feelings such as anxiety and frustration. Significant others, particularly the mother and the boyfriend or husband, might also precipitate a binge. Although many feelings increased or decreased in a linear fashion as the episode progressed, others such as depression and relief waxed and waned at different points in the episode. Implications of these findings for cognitive behavior therapy were discussed.
Depression in Pediatric Illness
Authors: Burke Patrick
Published: March 2007

Depression is a major complication of medical illness in adults and is increasingly being recognized as a complication of pediatric illness. The author reviews issues in the assessment and diagnosis of depression in pediatric illness and reviews recent studies on the prevalence of and risk factors for depression in different illnesses. Pediatric illness may be a major stressor that precipitates depression in children vulnerable because of life events, family dysfunction, or predisposition to affective illness.
A Comparison of the Verbal Social Behavior of Adolescents with Behavioral Disorders and Regular Class Peers
Authors: Deitz Diane E. D. , Ormsby Diane E.
Published: March 2007

Improved social functioning of adolescents with behavioral disorders (BD) is of critical importance for the successful integration of these students in school, domestic, vocationaL and community settings. hure comparisons were addressed in the study: overall veal responding of BD adolescents was compared to verbal responding of their regularclass peers, verbal responding of the same BD adolescents was compared across their self-contained and nainsteamed settings, and responding of the BD adolescents when in mainstreamed settings was compared to responding of regular class peers. Portable microcomputers were used to collect data across 10 categories of verbal responding for 14 BD adolescents and 14 regular class peers. Results supported several general conclusions: (a) Adolescents with behavioral disorders engaged in more negative verbal responding than their regular class peers; (b) BD adolescents exhibited less inappropriate verbal behavior when in the mainstream than when self-contained; and (c) when in the mainstream, the verbal behavior of BD students was similar to that of their regular class peers. Implications of the general and specific differences that emerged from the comparisons were presented and discussed.
Biology and Behavior
Authors: Williams Donald E. , Thompson J. Kevin
Published: March 2007

This article provides a broad overview of an exploratory thesis designed to enhance an understanding of perturbations and rigidities of psychological functioning a set-point hypothesis of psychological functioning. Historical precedents and parallels with Keesey's set-point theory of obesity are offered. Basic tenets of the hypothesis are detailed, and relevance to clinical behavioral theory is outlined. It is concluded that the set-point hypothesis may provide a framework for conceptualizing clinical cases and optimizing interventions. The thesis appears to be testable; however, the articulation of specific methodologies and research designs must be undertaken before the ultimate usefulness of the set-point hypothesis can be determined.
Situation Specificity in Attention-Seeking Problem Behavior
Authors: Taylor Jill C. , Sisson Lori A. , McKelvey Jenifer L. , Trefelner Mary F.
Published: March 2007

Previous research on attention-seeking problem behavior has focused on individuals who misbehaved under general conditions of low adult attention. In general, no detailed analyses were conducted to determine whether different situations involving low levels of adult attention (such as familiar vs. unfamiliar adults, setting events, or the presence or absence of peers) exacerbated or attenuated problem behavior. The current case study demonstrates that, for one adolescent, all situations involving low levels of adult attention were not equally discriminative for problem behavior. Two functional analyses concerning different situations involving low levels of adult attention were conducted. The first analysis consisted of systematically manipulating antecedent and consequence conditions related to adult attention and task demands. This analysis indicated that low levels of adult attention evoked problem behavior. The second analysis involved two different conditions presenting low levels of adult attention. In one, the adult spoke to another child; in the second, the adult spoke to another adult. This second analysis revealed that, when the adult spoke to another adult, problem behavior resulted. However, when the adult spoke to another child, problem behavior did not occur. On the basis of these functional analyses, a positive intervention was designed to reduce problem behavior. Theoretical implications related to functional analysis are discussed, and applied issues concerning functionally based treatment selection are explored.
Behavioral Assessment and Treatment of Social Phobia
Authors: Donohue Brad C. , Van Hasselt Vincent B. , Hersen Michel
Published: March 2007

This article provides an empirically derived description of social phobia, including onset, prevalence, comorbidity, and issues of differential diagnosis. Assessment and behavioral treatment strategies for social phobia are reviewed. It was not until the past few years that structured clinical interviews and self-report inventories have been developed with adequate reliability and validity to specifically assess social phobia. Thus much of the treatment outcome research is confounded with heterogeneous samples that make generalization of results difficult to interpret. Heterogeneity of samples, lack of controlled comparisons with adequate statistical power to detect treatment differences, and inconsistent findings do not permit the drawing of any definitive conclusions concerning the efficacy of behavioral treatment procedures at this time. More treatment comparison studies for social phobia need to be perfonmed using structured clinical interviews and standardized assessment devices specific for use with social phobia. Pre hoc power analyses should be performed to determine the number of subjects deemed adequate to detect differences when performing comparison studies. Assessment and treatment of social phobia with children is conspicuously nonexistent. Assessment and treatment procedures for social phobia need to be developed and standardized with children.
Reducing Disruptive Behaviors by Training Students to Request Assistance
Authors: Jayne Donna , Schloss Patrick J. , Alper Sandra , Menscher Sheri
Published: March 2007

Disruptive behaviors of students with disabilities can have a communicative function. They may aid the learner in escaping from aversive situations, and they may also serve to produce positive events. Disruptive behaviors that have a communicative function may be eliminated by teaching an alternative prosocial response. This study compared the relative effectiveness of two teaching methods for reducing disruptive behaviors exhibited by two primary age students with moderate disabilities. The first method consisted solely of a hierarchy of prompts. The second method combined the prompting hierarchy with a cue to request assistance. A multiple baseline design across students with alternating treatments was used to evaluate performance. Results demonstrated a clear relationship between teaching participants to request assistance and a reduction in disruptive behaviors.
Functional Communication Training for the Treatment of Multiply Determined Challenging Behavior in Two Boys with Autism
Authors: Sigafoos Jeff , Meikle Beth
Published: March 2007

Functional communication training was used to replace multiply determined problem behavior in two boys with autism. Experiment 1 involved a functional analysis of several topographies of problem behavior using a variation of the procedures described by lwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, and Richman. Results suggested that aggression, self-injury, and disruption were multiply determined (i.e., maintained by both attention and access to preferred objects). Experiment 2 involved a multiple-baseline design across subjects. The focus of intervention was to replace aggression, self-injury, and disruption with functionally equivalent communicative alternatives. Both boys were taught altemative "mands" to recruit attention and request preferred objects. Acquisition of these altemative communication skills was associated with concurrent decreases in aggression, self-injury, and disruption. Results suggest that multiply determined challenging behavior can be decreased by teaching an alternative communication skill to replace each assessed function of the problem behavior.
Habits, Tics, and Stuttering
Authors: Woods Douglas W. , Miltenberger Raymond G. , Flach Anthony D.
Published: March 2007

This study examines the prevalence of nervous habits, tics, and stuttering in 256 college students, as well as the relationship between these behaviors and self-reported general anxiety and awareness of bodily sensations. Improving on previous studies, this study strengthens the operational definition of a nervous habit by using a more stringent operational definition, giving what is arguably a more valid set of prevalence statistics. Participants were asked to complete self-report measures of general anxiety and somatic awareness. Relationships were found between number of nervous habits and tics that participants endorsed and their self-reported awareness of bodily sensations, as well as between number of habits endorsed and self-reported general anxiety. This article concludes with suggestions forfuture research in the area of nervous habits and motor tics.
Maintaining Instructional Behavior After On-the-Job Training with Process-Based Performance Feedback
Authors: Arco Lucius , Millett Roslyn
Published: March 2007

Maintenance was examined after two instructors received on-the-job training with verbal process-based feedback (i.e., feedback emphasizing instructor performance over client behavior). During process-based feedback, instructors were taught to accurately perform a modified Distar Language program with a school-aged child with autism. A maintenance condition followed, during which feedback was no longer provided except for basic outcome feedback generated by the instructors themselves. Instructor and child behavior levels, performance error, and rates were measured in a multiple baseline design and reported during 15 weeks. Results show that instructor and child behavior were maintained after training concluded. Given previous findings, these results suggest that if instructors are first trained to perform accurately, then maintenance with minimal feedback is more likely to occur.
Evaluating Behavioral Techniques in Training Individuals with Severe and Profound Mental Retardation to Use Functional Independent Living Skills
Authors: Matson Johnny L. , Bamburg Jay , Smalls Yemonja , Smiroldo Brandi B.
Published: March 2007

Three treatment approaches were evaluated for functional skill acquisition in individuals with severe and profound mental retardation. The control condition comprised the standard treatment protocol: verbal prompting, modeling, and physical guidance. The first condition added the components of staff training, feedback, and edible reinforcement for clients. The second treatment condition supplemented the first by the addition of verbal and edible reinforcement for staff. Subjects included 30 residents from a large developmental center (Pinecrest) in central Louisiana. The control protocol proved to be an ineffective training regimen. Experimental 1 led to statistically significant increases in learning when compared to controls. Experimental 2 led to additional statistically significant improvements beyond those achieved by Experimental 1. Daily documentation was once again shown not to enhance treatment effectiveness. Implications of the findings are discussed.
The Psychology of Own Versus Others’ Treatment: Self-Oriented and Other-Oriented Effects on Perceptions of Procedural Justice
Authors: van den Bos Kees , Lind E. Allan
Published: March 2007

This article focuses on how people interpret their own versus others’ treatment. Two experiments investigate how perceived procedural justice is affected by procedures that are experienced personally versus those seen to have been experienced by others. The studies show that, at least under some conditions, the treatment of others is as potent a consideration in justice judgments as is one’s own treatment. These findings are contrasted with previous insights into the psychology of social justice in general and procedural justice in particular.
Stop Complaining! The Social Costs of Making Attributions to Discrimination
Authors: Kaiser Cheryl R. , Miller Carol T.
Published: March 2007

Recent research indicates that stigmatized people may avoid claims of discrimination because such attributions are costly in terms of perceived control over outcomes and social self-esteem. The authors hypothesized that minimization of discrimination also occurs in part because negative social costs accompany attributions to discrimination. In Experiment 1, an African American who attributed a failing test grade to discrimination was perceived as a complainer and was less favorably evaluated in general than was an African American who attributed his failure to the quality of his test answers. This overall devaluation occurred regardless of the objective likelihood that discrimination occurred. Experiment 2 replicated these findings and revealed that this devaluation generally occurred only when the target made discrimination attributions, not when he made other external attributions. The social costs of making attributions to discrimination may prevent stigmatized people from confronting the discrimination they face in their daily lives.
When Saying Yes Leads to Saying No: Preference for Consistency and the Reverse Foot-in-the-Door Effect
Authors: Guadagno Rosanna E. , Asher Terrilee , Demaine Linda J. , Cialdini Robert B.
Published: March 2007

A requester using the foot-in-the-door (FITD) tactic begins by gaining compliance with a small request and then advances to a related, larger request. Previous work has demonstrated that a strong preference for consistency among targets of the tactic can enhance the FITD effect. Other work has indicated that an inadequate delay between the requests can produce resistance and can significantly reduce the effect. Study 1 found that high levels of preference for consistency (PFC) were sufficient to override this resistance, provided that participants’ prior helpfulness in complying with the initial request was made salient. Study 2 replicated this finding among high-PFC participants and showed that low-PFC participants demonstrated a reverse FITD effect when their prior helpfulness was made salient. The authors conclude that high- and low-PFC individuals are likely to become more or less consistent with an action (respectively) when focused on the personal implications of that action.