THE ROLE OF INDEPENDENT VARIABLE INTEGRITY IN THE BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT OF TOURETTE SYNDROME

We examined the effects of self-monitoring, dissimilar response practice, and competing response practice on the tics of two preadolescent males with Tourette Syndrome. Tic frequencies were assessed using an alternating treatments design over the course of approximately 1 month. The data indicate that neither of the participants’ tics changed as a result of the interventions. Upon examination of independent variable integrity data, we noticed that the participants were not implementing the treatments as instructed. The results are discussed in the context of improving the research methodology in this area, particularly with respect to independent variable integrity measures.     

TREATMENT INTEGRITY IN APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS WITH CHILDREN

Functional analysis of behavior depends upon accurate measurement of both independent and dependent variables. Quantifiable and controllable operations that demonstrate these functional relationships are necessary for a science of human behavior. Failure to implement independent variables with integrity threatens the internal and external validity of experiments. A review of all applied behavior analysis studies with children as subjects that have been published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis between 1980 and 1990 found that approximately 16% of these studies measured the accuracy of independent variable implementation. Two thirds of these studies did not operationally define the components of the independent variable. Specific recommendations for improving the accuracy of independent variable implementation and for defining independent variables are discussed.     

群集化儿童问题行为核查表的中文版修订

将Frick等人的群集化儿童问题行为核查表（the clustering child behaviors checklist,CCBCL）修订为中文版自我报告问卷、教师评定问卷和同伴评定问卷。以529名初一学生为被试进行间卷修订。结果发现：Frick等人提出的外化问题行为框架适合研究中国儿童青少年的外化问题行为,探索性因子分析证明中文版问卷的因子结构与原文卷一致;自我报告、教师评定和同伴评定版问卷的内部一致性系数、分半系数和重测信度系数都在可接受的范围内,且自我报告版问卷中财物损害的各信度系数较低;自我报告结果与同伴拒绝的相关不显著。而教师评定和同伴评定的结果均与同伴拒绝相关显著;同伴评定问卷的各信度系数及通过其获得的测量结果与同伴拒绝的相关性均高于其它两种问卷。     

应对的多测评维度的鉴别分析

本文对ＣＯＰＥ中文版（Ｃ－ＣＯＰＥ）的应对测评维度进行鉴别分析,７３６名大学生的测试数据的探索性因素分析结果表明,Ｃ－ＣＯＰＥ的应对维度为八个：心理资源积聚、主动控制与筹划、寻求社会支持、正面认识、情绪专注与渲泄、失助性反应、否认与心理摆脱、求助宗教。此量表结构效度良好,并且其信度也符合心理测量学要求。各应对维度测评的样本描述统计学结果反映现今大学生使用各种应对方式的程度有所不同,从群体平均水平而     

希望特质量表在中学生群体中的信、效度检验

通过对770名中学生施测,检验Snyder的希望特质量表（TTHS）的信度和效度。结果表明,总量表的重测信度、量表的结构效度和效标效度符合心理测量学要求。ITHS可以作为测量中国中学生希望特质的工具。在中国文化背景下。Snyder提出的希望特质仍然是一种积极的心理品质,希望特质也从某方面代表着中国中学生的心理健康水平。     

EXTENDING THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL VALIDITY: BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION

A broader definition of social validity is proposed wherein a socially valid behavior-change intervention is directed to a problem of verifiable importance, the intervention is valued and used appropriately by designated target groups, and the intervention as used has sufficient behavioral impact to substantially reduce the probability of the problem's occurrence in target populations. The verifiable importance of a problem is based on epidemiological data, and the value and appropriate use of an intervention are enhanced through the use of conceptual frameworks for social marketing and behavior change and considerable formative and pilot research. Behavioral impact is assessed through efficacy and effectiveness studies. Thus, the social validity of a behavior-change intervention is established through a number of interactive, a priori steps. This approach to defining social validity is related to critical analysis and intervention issues including individual and population perspectives and “top-down” and “bottom-up” approaches to intervention design. This broader definition of social validity is illustrated by a project to reduce the risk of HIV infection among adolescents. Although the various steps involved in creating socially valid interventions can be complicated, time-consuming, and expensive, following all the steps can result in interventions capable of improving a nation's health.     

AN ANALYSIS OF SOME VARIABLES INFLUENCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF REPRIMANDS

Although several studies have shown that social reprimands can function as punishers, no study reported to date has isolated any of the factors influencing reprimand efficacy. Three experiments were conducted to investigate several factors. Experiment 1 used an alternating treatments design and was conducted on two elementary school boys, one of whom was in a special education class. Results showed that verbal reprimands delivered with eye contact and firm grasp of the student's shoulders reduced disruptive behavior to a greater extent than did verbal reprimands delivered without eye contact and grasp. Both types of reprimand were more effective than a baseline condition during which disruptive behavior was ignored. Experiment 2 also used an alternating treatments design and was conducted on one elementary school boy. Results demonstrated that reprimands delivered from one meter away were considerably more effective than reprimands delivered from seven meters away. Experiment 3 used a reversal design and was conducted on two pairs of elementary school children, one a pair of boys and the other a pair of girls. Results demonstrated that reprimands delivered to just one member of the pair reduced the disruptive behavior of both members of the pair. Thus, the effects of reprimands “spilled” over to nonreprimanded students.     

INCREASING THE INDEPENDENT RESPONDING OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN WITH UNPREDICTABLE SUPERVISION

We investigated the role of predictable versus unpredictable supervision on the independent task responding of three autistic children. In a predictable supervision condition, the therapist was present in the setting for a regular period of time and then was absent for the remainder of the session. In an unpredictable supervision condition, the therapist's presence was scheduled on a random, intermittent, and unpredictable basis throughout the session. The multiple baseline analysis showed that the unpredictable supervision produced much higher levels of on-task responding during the therapist's absence for all three children. Analysis of work completed during the therapist's absence also favored the unpredictable supervision condition. The results are discussed in relation to the literature on generalization and educational practice.     

ANALYSIS OF THE CONSISTENCY OF OBJECTIVE MEASURES OF SEXUAL AROUSAL IN WOMEN

Eight adult women volunteers viewed the same erotic film in two different sessions. Their resulting genital responses were recorded simultaneously by three different measures: vaginal pressure pulse, vaginal blood volume, and labial temperature change. During the erotic stimulation, the vaginal pressure pulse and labial responses always increased, and the vaginal blood volume response increased on all but two occasions. Although there was considerable intersubject variability in each genital measure, all three measures were found to have some intrasubject consistency over sessions with respect to either their response amplitudes or patterns, with labial temperature being the most consistent on both parameters. The relationship between the response patterns of the three measures during the film was also relatively consistent across sessions, as was the correspondence between subjective ratings of arousal and both vaginal pressure pulse and labial responses but not vaginal blood volume response. To overcome the problem of considerable intrasubject variability of response amplitudes, it was suggested that the inclusion in the data analysis of several parameters of response patterns, which were relatively stable over sessions, might facilitate the evaluation of a treatment.     

自我描述问卷上海常模的修订报告

自我描述问卷是一种在国际上被广泛运用的自我概念测量量表,为了使我国的教育和医务工作者也能使用这种测量工具.我们对其进行了引进和修订.并初步制定出上海常模,从试用的结果来看.对我国6-12年级的初高中学生非常适用。分数的分布里常态.对测验结果作各种心理测量学的分析,信度指标：a.全量表的内在稳定性各年级在.92-.96之间,各分量表的内在稳定性在.66-.9文之间。b.各分量表的重测信度为.56-.75.效度指标：a.各分量表之间的相关较低,b.同质性很好,C.三个学业自我概念分量表与学习成绩间有很高的正相关,鉴于以上这些结果,该量表在中国中学生中使用有较高的信度,效度和实用价值。     

THE FATE OF INDEPENDENT THOUGHT IN TRADITIONAL CHINA

China, like a huge dragon, gobbles all in its path. Like a huge vat, dyes all the same color. Sun Jingxuan, A Spector Prowls Our Land (1980)     

A REVIEW OF ACADEMIC PERMANENT-PRODUCT DATA COLLECTION AND RELIABILITY PROCEDURES IN APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS RESEARCH1

Three publication sources were reviewed to determine the recent conventions for collecting, and assessing the reliability of, academic permanent-product data (handwriting, examination papers, etc in applied behavior analysis. The primary source was the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (1968–1974). Secondary sources included conference proceedings titled, A new direction in education: behavior analysis (E. Ramp and B. L. Hopkins, Eds., Lawrence, Kansas: Support and Development Center for Follow Through, Department of Human Development, University of Kansas, 1971), and Behavior Analysis and Education (G. Semb, Ed., Lawrence, Kansas: Support and Development Center for Follow Through, Department of Human Development, University of Kansas, 1972). Finally, as a test of the generality of the findings in the two applied behavior analysis sources, the current issue of each of 14 psychological and/or educational journals was reviewed. Thirty JABA studies reported academic permanent-product data, but only 14 reported reliability. Increasingly more product data through 1973 have been reported along with a greater proportion of authors reporting reliability. The review of the two conference proceeding publications revealed the same trend. In 1971, only three studies reported academic product data, none with reliability, while in 1972, 15 reported academic data, nine including reliability assessment. The review of 14 current education/psychology journal issues revealed four studies reporting academic data, none with reliability. Across all sources, about one-half of the studies reported reliability. Most of the studies reporting reliability described the frequency of reliability assessment, with approximately equal numbers of JABA studies reporting reliability for each paper or reliability for each session. The use of uninformed observers was reported in only three JABA studies and one conference study. Marks made on subjects' papers by either the teacher or the primary observer were reported masked for reliability purposes by only two JABA and two conference studies. Reliability was calculated on a session total basis in two JABA studies. Point-by-point agreement was given in nine JABA and three conference studies. Perfect reliability (mean agreement of 100%) was reported in only six JABA and three conference studies. Scores between 90 and 100% were reported in nine JABA and four conference studies. Scores below 80% were reported in three JABA studies. No other percentage agreement scores were reported, although one JABA study reported correlational reliability (Pearson r). In summary, recently more studies have dealt with academic data and, until 1974, a greater proportion of these studies reported reliability assessment, and relatively few studies reported either replicable methods, 100% agreement, or controls for maintaining rater independence.     

THE EFFECTS OF SEVERE BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN ON THE TEACHING BEHAVIOR OF ADULTS

Applied behavior analysts have focused on how adults can influence the problem behavior of children using a variety of behavior modification strategies. A related question, virtually unexplored, is how the behavior problems of children influence adults. This child-effects concept was explored empirically in a study involving 12 adults who were asked to teach four pairs of children in which one member of the pair exhibited problem behavior and the other typically did not. Results demonstrated that problem children displayed tantrums, aggression, and self-injury contingent on adult instructional attempts but not at other times, whereas nonproblem children showed little or no problem behavior at any time. Importantly, from a child-effects perspective, adults engaged in teaching activities with nonproblem children more often than with problem children. Also, when an adult worked with a problem child, the breadth of instruction was more limited and typically involved those tasks associated with lower rates of behavior problems. The implications of these results are discussed with respect to theories of escape behavior, current assessment practices, and intervention issues related to maintenance. The existence of child effects suggests that problem behavior may be better understood when it is conceptualized as involving a process of reciprocal influence between adult and child.     

ASSESSMENT OF SMOKING BEHAVIOR

The nature of smoking risk is first reviewed and a classification of procedures for assessing smoking behavior is presented. Areas requiring assessment include not only the traditionally measured smoking rate, but also the substance used and topography of consumption. Each of these areas may be assessed through a variety of self-report, observational, or indirect techniques. These techniques as well as some of their advantages and disadvantages are presented. Recently published (1975 to mid-1978) data-based smoking research appearing in four journals (Addictive Behaviors, Behavior Therapy, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, and Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology) is then reviewed with respect to measurement reliability and the use of multiple measures. Results show a strong tendency to assess only the risk area of smoking rate and a low frequency of appropriate measurement reliability checks, especially during baseline and treatment phases. Some of the implications of these results are discussed.     

A REVIEW OF COMPARISON STUDIES IN APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

A commonly used research design in applied behavior analysis involves comparing two or more independent variables. Typically, the relative effectiveness of two different interventions is measured on a single dependent variable. In the current review, 54 comparison studies from seven different peer‐reviewed, behavior analytic journals were evaluated between the years 2002 and 2011. Each study was evaluated across seven dimensions: (1) experimental design, (2) setting, (3) participants, (4) type of comparison, (5) number of comparisons, (6) treatment integrity, and (7) outcome. There were some consistencies across studies, with half resulting in equivalent outcomes across comparisons. In addition, most studies employed the use of an alternating treatments or multi‐element single‐subject design and compared a teaching methodology. On the basis of these results, the value of comparison study as well as directions for future comparison research is discussed. Overall, comparison study is a worthy and important enterprise that requires a high degree of experimental control and a careful analyses of the results, regardless of whether the outcome clearly favored one independent variable or not. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.