Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T13:54:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Felipe Rosa Epaminondas.pdf: 2765246 bytes, checksum: 035e32b2e018f18babd276e2515fc642 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-09-10 / The objective of the present study was to utilize differential reinforcement of target behaviors in the repertoire of a person with the diagnosis of schizophrenia observing the general changes in his social repertoire and vocalizations. Procedures of Applied Behavior Analysis were used. The participant was a 47 years, single, semianalphabet male, descendant of a family with few economic resources and had been internalized in several psiquiatric institutions since he was 18. The participant was chosen based on direct observations of his behaviors in the institution. Three classes of problem behaviors were chosen to undergo intervention: low visual contact, low volume of voice and short sentences. The frequency of delusional speech was also quantified. The multiple baseline design was used to control de procedures. The interventions were made in individual sessions of free talks between the researcher and the participant. The researcher presented social reinforcements contingent to the target behaviors, changing it when it stabilized at a high frequency. The intervention proved effective to raise the frequency of the target behaviors. No alteration was observed on the delusional speech. / O objetivo do presente estudo foi utilizar o reforçamento diferencial de comportamentos alvos no repertório de uma pessoa com o diagnóstico de esquizofrenia observando as mudanças gerais em seu repertório social e suas vocalizações. Para essa finalidade foram utilizados os procedimentos da Análise Aplicada do Comportamento. O participante foi uma pessoa do sexo masculino, de 47 anos, viúvo, semi-analfabeto, descendente de família de poucos recursos econômicos e que houvera sido internado em várias instituições especializadas para tratamentos psiquiátricos desde os 18 anos de idade. A escolha do participante foi feita a partir de observações diretas dos seus comportamentos no pátio da instituição em que se encontrava. Foram selecionados três classes de comportamentos-problema para sofrerem intervenção: o baixo contato ocular, baixo volume de voz e falas curtas. Também foi quantificada a frequência de falas delirantes durante as sessões. Para o controle dos procedimentos foi utilizado o Delineamento de Linha de Base Múltipla. As intervenções foram feitas em sessões individuais de conversa livre entre o pesquisador e o participante. O pesquisador apresentava reforçadores sociais contingentes ao comportamento alvo, trocando o mesmo quando este se estabilizava em uma alta frequência. A intervenção se mostrou eficaz para aumentar a frequência dos comportamentos alvo. Nenhuma alteração foi observada quanto às falas delirantes.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder known for deficits in language and social skills. It is often associated with maladaptive behaviors. Studies have indicated that these behaviors in children lead to increased stress, anxiety and depression in mothers. This study examines the effects of parent-implemented Positive Behavior Support (PBS) and behavioral activation (BA) on reducing problem behaviors and increasing maternal wellness. The single subject study was conducted with three mothers (between the ages of 30 and 45) and their three children (between the ages of 5 and 7) with autism spectrum disorder. The results of this study demonstrate that while PBS implementation does reduce problem behaviors, it does not significantly impact maternal well-being. Results indicated that two of the three mothers were able to implement PBS interventions and their children demonstrated significant behavioral improvements. These mothers also engaged in high levels of valued activities both at baseline and during intervention and showed few depression symptoms. The third mother was not able to implement the interventions and her child demonstrated little behavioral progress. This mother showed signs of depression and did not make gains in this area. Further research may want to examine the relationship between behavioral activation and respite care, as well as the role of socioeconomic status.

The study reports on analyses of data collected from the Inventory for Client and Agency Planning (ICAP) for 5,859 children with Autism (n = 511), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI, n = 522), or Mental Retardation (MR, n = 4826) whose legal guardians applied for support services through the Utah Department of Services for People with Disabilities (DSPD). Results indicate that the least to most frequent problem behaviors were (a) destructive to property, (b) hurtful to self, (c) hurtful to others, (d) socially offensive, (e) unusual habits, (f) withdrawal, (g) uncooperative, and (h) disruptive behaviors. The degree of severity varied from problem to problem, with uncooperative behaviors rated as most severe. Males displayed higher frequency and severity for all problem behaviors, except hurtful to self.

Previous research on the assessment of pediatric feeding disorders has shown that negative reinforcement (escape) plays a major role in the maintenance of food refusal and that escape extinction (EE) may be necessary in the treatment of severe food refusal. The current study examined the influence of two potential motivating operations (MOs) on escape from bite presentations for 3 children with severe food refusal: (a) noncontingent positive reinforcement (NCR) and (b) food satiation (as a result of enteral nutritional support). The abolishing effects of NCR on negative reinforcement for refusal behaviors were demonstrated in Experiment 1 when escape was allowed for food refusal and in Experiment 2 during demand fading across a hierarchy of bite placements. The interactive effects of NCR and food satiation on negative reinforcement for escaping bite presentations (within a hierarchy of bite placements) were demonstrated in Experiment 3. NCR abolished escape as a reinforcer and food satiation established escape as a reinforcer. The combined MO effects of NCR and food deprivation resulted in decreased refusal behaviors and increased acceptance across all bite placements in Experiment 3 even though escape was allowed. Results extend the existing bodies of literature on the competition between positive and negative reinforcement and the effects of specific biological conditions on escape-maintained behavior. Implications for treatment and future research are discussed.

This study examined the relationship between behavior problems, learning behaviors and educational outcomes for at-risk preschool children. A sample of Head Start children (N = 196) were selected in the Southeast. Behavior problems were assessed using The Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA; Le Buffe & Naglieri, 1999) and learning behaviors were assessed using the Preschool Learning Behavior Scale (PLBS, McDermott, Green, Francis & Stott, 1996). Educational outcomes included measures of literacy and math, collected using subscales from the Galileo System for the Electronic Management of Learning (Galileo; Bergan et al., 2003). Behavior problems were found to predict learning behaviors, math and literacy. Furthermore, learning behaviors were found to mediate the effect of behavior problems on literacy and math, and such mediation effects were not found to be moderated by gender nor age. The findings of the study provide a preliminary explanation regarding the mechanism through which behavior problems relate to educational outcomes for preschool children.

Problem behaviors early in the preschool year have been negatively linked to a variety of school readiness outcomes, including language, literacy and mathematics, both at the end of preschool and later on as children transition to elementary school. In order to inform preschool intervention efforts, the current study extends this research by examining the unique influence of internalizing and externalizing behaviors on children's growth in academic skills throughout the preschool year. Additionally, in order to identify mechanisms that may explain the associations between problem behaviors and academic growth, the potential mediating role of specific learning behaviors-competence motivation, attention/persistence and attitude toward learning-were examined. A sample of 275 four-year-old children enrolled in a large, urban Head Start program in the Southeast United States participated in the study. Teachers completed ecologically valid measures of children-s problem behaviors at the beginning of the year and children's learning behaviors mid-year. Data on children's academic achievement were collected at three time points (fall, winter and spring) by independent direct assessors. A series of latent growth models were conducted to examine children's growth in listening comprehension, alphabet knowledge, vocabulary, and mathematics across the preschool year. Results indicated that children made significant progress in all academic domains. Internalizing and externalizing behaviors were negatively associated with baseline academic scores, yet positively associated with rates of growth in some academic domains over time. Furthermore, children's attention skills and persistence were found to be important mediators of growth in alphabet knowledge and mathematics. Implications for early childhood research and practice are discussed.

Adolescents raised in impoverished environments are at substantial risk of making poor life decisions because they are often exposed to high levels of neighborhood violence and substance use, and attend under-resourced schools. Despite facing these risks, many youth experience adaptive developmental outcomes in the face of these challenges. Resilience literature identifies the presence of a supportive adult relationship and a positive future orientation (i.e., an optimistic conceptualization of the future) as factors related to decreases in negative outcomes and increases in positive outcomes among youth exposed to conditions of risk This study examined both mediation and moderation as possible mechanisms explaining the interplay of future orientation and supportive adult relationships as contributors to resilient outcomes in African-American youth raised in areas of risk. Specifically, this study assessed (1) whether youth develop a positive future orientation through their contact with supportive adults which results in decreased engagement in problem behaviors and increased grades (i.e., a mediated effect), and (2) whether the associations of supportive adult relationships with problem behavior and academic achievement differ as a function of variation in future orientation (i.e., a moderated effect). Data from an evaluation conducted in a low-income, high risk area in Atlanta were used to tests these mechanisms. This study found that these processes are complex and depend on the outcome variable being assessed. Specifically, future orientation mediated the association between supportive adult relationships and problem behaviors, but moderated the association between supportive adult relationships and academic achievement. In the mediation model, supportive adult relationships were associated with decreases in problem behaviors through its association with future orientation. In the moderation model, among youth with a low future orientation, supportive adult relationships were associated with increases in school grades. This study also found that future orientation interacted with gender associations, such that among youth with high future orientation, girls had higher school grades and among youth with low future orientation, girls engaged in more problem behaviors. This study has implications for future research on future orientation, youth development prevention and intervention programming, and policy around low-income youth.

This study aimed to explore the emotional and behavioral problems of Turkish adoptees and compare them with non-adopted peers raised by their biological parents. To fulfill this aim, 61 adopted children aged between 6-18 were compared to 62 age and gender matched non-adopted children. A second classification was made in terms of being followed in a child psychiatry unit. Both parents were asked to rate their children&rsquo / s problem behaviors on &ldquo / Child Behavior Check List / 6-18&rdquo / , temperament characteristics on &ldquo / School Age Temperament Inventory&rdquo / , their own personality traits on &ldquo / Basic Personality Traits Inventory&rdquo / and own parenting styles on &ldquo / Measure of Child Rearing Styles&rdquo / . Children were asked to rate both parents&rsquo / availability and reliability as attachment figures on &ldquo / Kerns Security Scale&rdquo / and parenting styles on &ldquo / Measure of Child Rearing Styles&rdquo / . Adolescents between ages 11-18, rated their own problem behaviors on &ldquo / Youth Self Report&rdquo / . Group differences and correlations were analyzed. The results indicated non-significant differences between adopted and non-adopted groups in all of the measures. Children in clinical group unit displayed more problem behaviors, were less task persistent and had more activity than children in non-clinical group. Children under 10 years rated their mothers as being more available attachment figure, being more accepting and responsive than their fathers. Contrary to the literature, age of the child at the time of adoption was not found to be related with problem behaviors or attachment relations. On the other hand, results indicated that the older the child learned about her/his adoption status, the more emotional and behavioral problems occurred. Findings of the study were discussed in the frame of relevant literature. Clinical and policy implications were offered.

There has been growing interest among parents, teachers, researchers, and policymakers in better understanding children’s school readiness and the precise mechanisms by which early care and education programs promote these early skills. Two key, but understudied, mechanisms include preschool instruction and parenting practices. The present study used the Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) 2006 cohort and examined whether gains in young children’s (n = 2,308) math, literacy, and behavior problems over the Head Start year were predicted by increased stimulation across children’s homes and school using structural equation modeling. Net of all other factors, parent learning support was uniquely associated with lower levels of behavioral problems and greater math achievement. Although there were no direct effects of parent involvement on child outcomes, the effects of parent involvement on children’s math and behavior were mediated through parent learning support. Children also demonstrated reduced problem behaviors when they received greater teacher instruction. However, the observed benefits for math achievement and reduced problem behaviors appear to be stronger when young children receive stimulation across both the home and school contexts. These findings have implications for children’s early problem behaviors and achievement, suggesting that parenting practices and teacher instruction are important avenues that can promote young children’s early skills. For optimal academic and behavioral outcomes, however, greater effort needs to be coordinated across children’s home and school settings. / text

A growing disparity between the mental health needs of children and their lack of treatment served as the basis of this study. To address this existent gap, I proposed that child-centered play therapy (CCPT), a holistic treatment that fosters children's emotional, developmental, and social growth would serve as a viable treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of CCPT on problem behaviors among children identified with an intellectual disability. Specifically, a single case, A-B-A design (N = 2) was used to examine changes in participant's problem behaviors as measured on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) across conditions. Trained raters used the ABC to rate participant's problem behaviors 3 times per week during the course of this study. Participants completed 2 weeks of a no-intervention phase, 5 weeks of play therapy 3 times per week, and 2 weeks of a no-intervention maintenance phase. Additionally, participants were administered the Gesell Developmental Observation to assess their maturational age during the baseline and maintenance phases. Parents also completed the ABC during two intervals: baseline phase, and maintenance phase. Analysis of results indicated that problem behaviors decreased for both participants. Results from the percent of non-overlapping data (PND), an indice for effect size further revealed that play therapy was a very effective treatment for participants. Follow-up interviews suggested that play therapy is a viable intervention for children with intellectual disabilities and problem behaviors. Clinical observations and implications for future research are presented.