Anthony F. Rotatori

Development of a rating scale to measure social skills in children: The matson evaluation of social skills with youngsters (MESSY)

Abstract The development of a scale for assessing social skills with children is reported. The Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters (MESSY) was completed on 744 children between 4 and 18 years of age. A self-report form was completed on 422 children while 322 children were rated on a teacher-report measure using a 5-point Likert-type scale. Analyses included test-retest reliability conducted at a 2-week interval using Pearson correlations, factor-analytic procedures and selected analyses of variance and appropriate post-hoc tests. Implications of present findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Parent involvement in a treatment program for obese retarded adults

Two groups of moderately retarded, obese adults were given a 10-week behavioral treatment program designed to produce changes in their eating, activity and self-reinforcement patterns and to produce weight loss. In one group (N = 8, X = 27 years) parents of the participants were actively involved in the treatment program; in the second group (N = 7, X age = 29) parents were minimally involved. At the end of treatment, subjects in the parent-involved group lost significantly more weight (X = 7.4 pounds) with less intra-group variability (S.D. = 2.26 pounds) than the other treatment group (X = 2.4 pounds; S.D. = 4.38 pounds). A strong correlation was also found between degree of subject involvement in treatment (as measured by the number of daily homework forms completed) and weight loss. Implications of the data for future treatment programs are discussed.

Weight Loss with Psychiatric Residents in a Behavioral Self Control Program

A behavioral self-control program for 14 psychiatric residents living in a semi-independent residential facility is described. The group of 7 in behavior therapy lost significantly more weight than a control group of 7 over a 14-wk. treatment. A 16-wk. followup is reported.

A Streamlined Weight Loss Program for Moderately Retarded Adults in a Sheltered Workshop Setting

An abbreviated version of a behavioral weight loss program for obese retarded adults was provided for two groups of eight moderately retarded, obese adults working in a sheltered workshop. The program involved ten weeks of treatment, five weeks of maintenance and included a one-year follow-up check. Pictured materials were developed to facilitate the subjects comprehension and practice of the behavioral weight loss strategies. subjects in one treatment group were also paired to assess the impact of a buddy reinforcement program on their weight loss. Following ten weeks of treatment, significant weight loss was observed (mean percent weight loss = 6.2); weight loss continued during five weeks of maintenance (additional mean percent weight loss = 1.8). No differences in weight loss or percent weight loss were found between the buddy reinforcement group and the other treatment group at the end of treatment of maintenance and during follow-up. At one year follow-up, 37.5% of the sample maintained a weight loss. Discussion centers around the issues of developing efficient weight loss strategies for obese retarded adults, high inter-individual variability observed in weight loss during treatment, and relatively low long-term maintenance of weight loss after treatment terminated.

Students with autism spectrum disorders

The number of individuals with ASD is growing tremendously since autism was recognized as a category for special education services in IDEA. While the disorder was first described by Kanner in 1943 and again by Asperger in 1944, it did not receive substantial attention until 1981, when Dr. Lorna Wing wrote an influential article which revived the early work of Kanner and Asperger (Nash, 2002). Since then there has been an increase in research related to etiology, prevalence, educational and social-emotional intervention, and assessment and diagnosis. This research has highlighted that: ASD appears to run in families; their may be as many as 20 genes involved in autism; individuals with ASD think, socialize and emote differently; there appears to be some neurological misconnection present in the brains of individuals with ASD (Nash, 2002). Positively, there have been advances in educational, therapeutic and medication management that has allowed individuals with ASD to be more inclusively involved in our society.

Socially maladjusted adolescents' perceptions of their families.

The Family Environment Scale, a 90-item true-false instrument used to evaluate the social climate of families, was administered to 17 socially maladjusted adolescents. The results showed that these adolescents perceived their families as not highly supportive or concerned about each members welfare. These families were perceived as providing little cultural, intellectual or recreational stimulation in the home. The families scored relatively higher on the Conflict subscale which measures the extent to which open expression of anger and aggression are characteristic of the family. Implications of these data for understanding and programming for the socially maladjusted child were discussed. Also the clinical and educational utility, e.g., structuring counseling sessions, planning home visits, of the scale was delineated.

The Effectiveness of a Behavioral Weight Reduction Program for Moderately Retarded Adolescents

Thirty moderately mentally retarded adolescent subjects were assigned to either a Behavior Therapy ( n =12), a Social-Nutrition ( n =12), or a Wait-List Control group ( n=6 ). The behavior therapy subjects lost significantly more weight than the nutrition and control subjects. The behavior therapy subjects continued to lose weight during maintenance and follow-up conditions.

Determinants of Professional-Parental Agreement for the Developmental Status of Young Handicapped Children

Several factors have resulted in an increased interest on the part of professionals in collecting and using data from parents during assessment procedures conducted with young handicapped children. However, the results of recent studies which have examined differences between the developmental status of the child as described by parents and as evaluated by professionals have been contradictory. Some have concluded that parents provide significantly higher estimates of the childs development, while others have found no such differences. This study was designed to investigate relationships between parent- and child-related demographic variables and percentages of agreement calculated between both mothers and fathers and a diagnostician. Forty mothers and 32 fathers of handicapped children enrolled in early intervention programs were interviewed in order to complete the Developmental Profile. An overall percentage of agreement was calculated for each child by comparing parental data with that obtained by a diagnostician who scored the Developmental Profile by direct testing and observation. Significant relationships were found between some of the demographic variables and percentages of agreement. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for assessment procedures.

Regression including anorexia nervosa in a down's syndrome adult: A seven year follow-up

Abstract In this study we discuss the results at a 7 year follow-up of a treatment package for regression including anorexia nervosa. The findings revealed that the client, a mentally retarded woman, was able to maintain treatment gains. Collateral benefits were also seen in social, vocational and self-help areas. The maintenance of these improved skills across response classes and settings suggests that the womans behavior had come under the influence of natural reinforcers in her environment.

An Indirect Technique for Establishing Preferences for Categories of Reinforcement for Severely and Profoundly Retarded Individuals

The development of a reinforcement survey hierarchy is described for programming severely and profoundly retarded individuals. The survey identifies reinforcement preferences of severely and profoundly retarded individuals by means of an indirect categorical technique. The categorical technique views reinforcement as being educationally, environmentally, and developmentally characteristic of severely and profoundly retarded individuals. The survey is a preliminary step to more direct approaches to reinforcement, such as sampling or use of multiple reinforcements. Field data are discussed.