Ronald A. Madle

Empathy: Historic and Current Conceptualizations, Measurement, and a Cognitive Theoretical Perspective

A selective review of various conceptual positions within a historic framework is used to address four issues: whether an empathic response is an understanding or sharing of affect; whether an empathic response is a response to an object, another’s affect, and/or circumstance; which mechanisms explain empathy, and is self-other differentiation required by various definitions. This discussion is related to an examination of representative, predictive and situational measures. Comments are made regarding the reliability and construct validity of certain measures. The implications of this evidence for the use and the development of measures are advanced. A cognitive theoretical perspective is applied, in which variables that influence empathic learning are discussed with several applications of data, to assist in our understanding of empathy.

“Errorless” elimination of separation anxiety: A case study

Abstract Intense and persistent separation anxiety in a 4-yr-old child was eliminated using differential reinforcement of other behavior and stimulus fading. After differentially reinforcing the child for non-anxious behavior by having the mother reappear, the interval between the mothers disappearance and subsequent reappearance was gradually increased. This resulted in a gradual fading of the mother from the situation. The procedure was accomplished in a total of 17 hr, during which only 10 min of anxious behavior was observed. The problem was completely eliminated and showed no signs of recurrence over the subsequent 6 months.

Reinforcer Displacement A Preliminary Study of the Clinical Application of the CRF/EXT Effect

An ABA design was used to evaluate the effects of reinforcer displacement on the self-stimulatory behavior of two severely retarded 19-year-old males. Reinforcer displacement involves the imposition of continuous reinforcement followed by sudden extinction. It was hypothesized that application of this procedure would result in the rapid weakening of undesirable behaviors thought to be maintained by unidentifiable contingencies. Use of the reinforcer displacement procedure produced substantial decreases in the targeted inappropriate behaviors for both subjects. Two-week follow-up assessments indicated that treatment effects were maintained for one subject, but recovery to baseline levels was observed for the other. Treatment effects, ethical considerations, and therapeutic potential are discussed.

Biasing of Hyperkinetic Behavior Ratings by Diagnostic Reports: Effects of Observer Training and Assessment Method

Videotapes of two preschool children were observed by 24 raters. Raters were given diagnostic reports suggesting hyperkinesis for one of the children but not for the other. Twelve raters used a rating scale to assess hyperkinesis, while the remainder used a time-sampling method. Within each of these groups, half of the raters received training on the instrument they used. The results indicate that training had the effect of reducing the biasing effect of the diagnostic label when the rating scale was employed. No biasing effect was noted for the time-sampling results. Discussion centered on the use of observational training and time sampling as methods of obtaining minimally biased data on labeled populations.

Naturalistic Assessment of Neurological Diagnoses and Pharmacological Intervention

There is sufficient reason to believe that drugs are inappropriately prescribed for and used by children who demonstrate learning and behavioral problems. The shortcomings of an exclusively medical or clinical approach to the administration and supervision of drug therapy are discussed. To insure precautions in the prescription and surveillance of drug treatment, certain minimal standards are proposed: (1) translation of the clinical diagnosis into measurable naturalistic behaviors; (2) collection of data by parents and teachers on behaviors to determine severity of the syndrome; (3) situational validation or disconfirmation of the clinical diagnosis; and (4) when indicated, formative assessment of drug treatment. The use of these four standards is illustrated with a preschooler who was scheduled for drug treatment. Resulting data permitted reconsideration of the clinical diagnosis and preempting of drug treatment.

Behaviorally based staff performance management

Ronald A. Madle, PhD Director of Training and Evaluation Laurelton, Pennsylvania Adjunct Assistant Professor Division of Individual and Family Study Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pennsylvania ADMINISTRATORS, supervisors, and teachers responsible for successfully delivering early special education services must engage in effective management practices so that desired programs are actually implemented by preschool staff. Otherwise, they have no reliable means of directing the day-to-day work of their staff and will be hard pressed to demonstrate to funding sources, parents, and others that quality services are actually reaching the children. Of the numerous aspects of the preschool environment that need to be managed, perhaps staff performance is the most crucial. As with virtually all human services, early special education is still labor intensive and, therefore, program quality depends heavily on effective staff performance. The need for systematic development and management of staff performance increases exponentially with the number of nonprofessional staff (e.g., aides, volunteers, and parent helpers) involved in program implementation. Many staff management procedures seem to be based primarily on tradition (Quilitch, 1975). One administrator might send out a

Software reviews choices: Classroom management and discipline system

CHOICES is a Hypercard stack that indexes published research and suggests outlines for action for helping children with behavior difficulties. The program has computerized information for which computerization may not be an efficient or economical storage medium. When compared with other methods of obtaining information concerning the management of behavioral problems in children, CHOICES is of questionable value to school psychologists.

A turbo basic program to compute percentile ranks

Abstract A Turbo Basic program for IBM-compatible computers was developed to compute percentile ranks for standardized psychometric instruments with various means and standard deviations. The program uses a menu-driven approach that allows users to select from over 40 listed devices as well as enter additional test parameters. Additional measures can be added to the test database by using a standard word processor. An empirical test of the program output yielded almost perfect agreement with table-based values.

An apple II series program for evaluating Stanford-Binet IV subtest scores

Abstract A profile analysis program was developed for Apple II microcomputers that allows school psychologists to quickly calculate Stanford-Binet IV means for the Verbal Comprehension, Nonverbal Reasoning/Visualization, and Memory factors. The significance of subtest deviations from either the factor means or the overall mean can then be evaluated. The program uses a menu-driven approach and displays the results to the monitor.

Mild Developmental Retardation

By definition, mental retardation (MR) involves deficits in learning and adapting to new situations. It is, however, a multifacted disorder that often includes additional problems.