Thomas J. Kehle

A packaged intervention to reduce disruptive behaviors in general education students.

This investigation employed a combination multiple baseline/reversal design across individuals to examine the effects of a packaged intervention designed to reduce disruptive behaviors in two 8-year-old female students, with a third 8-year-old female student serving as a control. The intervention was delivered through a contingency contract and was comprised of precision requests, antecedent strategies (i.e., public posting of classroom rules, and teacher movement), positive reinforcement (i.e., mystery motivators, token economy), and the reductive technique of response cost.During baseline, the percentage of intervals that the students evidenced disruptive behaviors averaged 41%. This was reduced to an average of 20% during treatment. In the withdrawal phase, disruptive intervals increased to an average of 25%. Reinstatement of the intervention resulted in a further reduction of disruptive intervals of 20%.

Augmented Self-Modeling as a Treatment for Children with Selective Mutism.

Abstract Three children with selective mutism were treated with a packaged procedure that incorporated self-modeling, mystery motivators, self-reinforcement, stimulus fading, spacing, and, in one case, antidepressant medication. All three children evidenced a complete cessation of selective mutism and maintained their treatment gains at follow-up. An argument was presented for the use of a series of single-case, baseline-intervention (AB) designs appropriate for this type of school-related, low incidence behavior. Specific conditions were met that allowed for inferences to be drawn that approached the quality of those typically obtained from experimental designs.

Randomization of Group Contingencies and Reinforcers to Reduce Classroom Disruptive Behavior

Abstract The present study employed an ABAB design to investigate the effect of randomizing both contingencies for reinforcement and reinforcers to decrease classroom disruptive behavior in 5 adolescent students with serious emotional disorder. With the introduction of the intervention, it was found that the percentage of observed intervals of disruptive behaviors decreased immediately and dramatically in all students. The effect sizes for the 5 participants ranged from 2.6 to 5.2.

The Relationship between Reaction Time and Intelligence in Children

Measures of reaction time and movement time were compared with WISC-R IQ and subtest scores for 59 intellectually superior, elementary aged children. Results indicate an inverse relationship between measures of reaction time and intelligence. Reaction time measures differentially correlated with the WISC-R subtests as a function of subtest g-loadings. The correlations between the g-loadings and reaction time parameters were as high as 0.80 (P < 0.01). Implications for the practice of school psychology with respect to the measure and study of intelligence are impressive. If a content-free unbiased measure which provides an estimate of intelligence uncontaminated by practice or learning can be further developed employing the simple reaction-time apparatus, then eventual studies dealing with the modification of intelligence become more feasible.

A Multi-Component intervention designed to reduce disruptive classroom behavior

The intent of this article was to present an on-going line of research that has focused on the design of an effective, easily implemented, economical, and parsimonious treatment for disruptive classroom behavior in both general and special education students. This multi- component treatment has evolved to include mystery motivators, token economy with response cost, and antecedent strategies (i.e., public posting of classroom rules, and teacher movement) delivered within a group contingency format. Based on report data, the treatment in this research was well received by the teachers and students. Further, due to the substantial treatment effect, ease of implementation, and relatively low investment of teacher time, the multi-component intervention became a consistent choice by the teachers for classroom management.

Interventions for Students with Traumatic Brain Injury Managing Behavioral Disturbances

The present article provides information about the behavioral sequelae that are commonly seen in children and adolescents following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and ways that educators can begin to address these problems. Because, for the most part, behavioral interventions have not been empirically validated for use with TBI populations, this article focuses on the unique needs of these students and the factors that should be considered in designing intervention strategies. Emphasis is placed on the cognitive sequelae of TBI that can cause further behavioral problems and interfere with interventions (e.g., impaired attention, executive function, reasoning and problem solving, and learning and memory).

Incidence of Behavior Problems Among Children of Vietnam War Veterans

Vietnam combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were compared to non-combat Vietnam era veterans without PTSD on their perceptions of their childrens social and emotional functioning. A total of 107 veterans completed a parents behavior checklist on their 191 children. The results indicated that fathers with PTSD perceived their children as exhibiting a substantially greater degree of dysfunctional social and emotional behavior. The types of dysfunctional behaviors were a function of the childs age and sex; however, children of PTSD fathers were generally rated as significantly more likely to exhibit an inadequate level of self-control resulting in various externalizing problem behaviors such as aggression, hyperactivity and delinquency. Further, these children were perceived as having difficulty establishing and maintaining friendships. The findings support the notion that a fathers anxiety disorder, such as PTSD, may be related to his childrens social and emotional functioning.

Contemporary Review of Group-Oriented Contingencies for Disruptive Behavior.

ABSTRACT This review clarifies the vaguely defined and perplexing terminology that historically has been used in the descriptions of group contingencies. Group contingencies are reviewed and categorized as independent, interdependent, and dependent based on the seminal work of Litow and Pumroy. Further, group contingencies, based on these categorizations, are discussed in terms of their effectiveness and advantages over behavioral interventions designed for individual students.

School programs to prevent intrafamilial child sexual abuse

The incidence of child sexual abuse would argue for the schools assuming a larger role in the development of preventive and educational programs. Because of the public school systems consistent and longitudinal contact with children and families it is perhaps the most promising institution for the delivery of preventive efforts. This article presents specific suggestions for school-based programs directed toward the prevention of intrafamilial child sexual abuse. Further, it is argued that for maximum effectiveness, the support of local parent-teacher organizations be elicited; that educational programs be presented separately for parents and children; and that a variety of programs in concert with the developmental level of participants be presented on topics related to child sexual abuse. Topics regarded as important for prevention efforts are factual information on sexual abuse, appropriate and inappropriate touch, the respective role responsibilities and rights of parents and children, and a sex education approach that stresses the values of nonexploitation and discrimination in the choice of whether to engage in sexual behavior and the choice of partners.

Mystery Motivator as an Intervention to Promote Homework Completion and Accuracy

This study investigated the effectiveness of the mystery motivator intervention as a means to remediate mathematics homework accuracy and completion problems in five fifth-grade students. An ABAB reversal design with multiple baselines across two classrooms was used. The results indicated that the mystery motivator intervention was effective for all students on one or both outcome criteria. Additionally, both the teachers and students rated the intervention positively.