Aversive procedures: The minnesota experience

Aversive and deprivation procedures for controlling and reducing challenging behaviors have received increasing attention. Many states have adopted guidelines on the use of these procedures treating persons with developmental disabilities. The Minnesota state rule promulgated in October, 1987 requires reviews from both local and state-wide review committees on permitted, but controlled procedures. Data generated from state-wide committees revealed that (a) state operated regional treatment centers (RTCs) employed individual habilitative training programs with controlled procedures more frequently than community-based agencies (b) a higher proportion of RTC submissions were for treatment of self-injury than submissions from community services, and (c) RTCs had a higher usage of mechanical restraints than community facilities with both services settings using manual restraints more frequently than all other controlled procedures combined. Reasons for the above differences in the two service settings were discussed.     

The effect of training on visual alignment discrimination and grating resolution

The effect of training on an observer’s ability to detect the misalignment of three points, a hypes-acuity, and to resolve a six-line grating was studied in a transfer-of-training design with observers (4 in each of two experiments) who were experienced in making psychophysical judgments of other visual stimuli. The transfer-of-training design enabled us to look for any training-based improvement. Long periods of training produced no statistically significant improvement in performance under any condition. There were small practice-based improvements, but the primary patterns indicated threshold fluctuation rather than improvement. We interpret the results to indicate that the neural mechanisms underlying three-point alignment and grating discrimination, like those for gap bisection (Klein & Levi, 1985), are not malleable to any significant extent.     

Theories of family pathology: In what direction

Although specific typologies, classifications, or taxonomies of family pathology have been demonstrated to have research merit, it is clear that their practical or clinical application has been at best marginal. The general theories in family therapy have not yet led to the development of viable typologies.I believe there are three general theories which perhaps converge only in their acceptance of a process of victimization in families that may lead to the outbreak of psychiatric symptoms in members: the intergenerational, the communicational, and scapegoat theory. The paper describes these theories and suggests their strengths and limitations. The dominant family therapies that have arisen in the late 1970s are short-term approaches. These are especially favorable to the development of scapegoat theory, fit reasonably well with communicational theory, but are inconsistent with intergenerational theory.An invited lecture at the 11th International Congress of Psychotherapy in Amsterdam, August 28, 1979.     

Methodological and theoretical issues in neuropsychological assessment

While there are philosophical and theoretical differences between neuropsychologists and behavior therapists, it is suggested that a significant reconciliation can be achieved in regard to assessment and treatment of the brain-damaged patient. While brain damage is often viewed as an irreversible disorder, there is evidence that substantial recovery of function can occur, particularly when adequate retraining is provided. There are practical and empirical considerations that suggest that neuropsychological tests are currently the best tools available for behavioral assessment of brain-damaged patients. However, the results of these tests can be used not only diagnostically but also to identify target behavioral deficits that may be rehabilitated through systematic retraining efforts. Such rehabilitation efforts can be optimally planned, implemented, and evaluated through an alliance between the neuropsychologist, who identifies the ability and deficit pattern, and the behavior therapist, who devises and evaluates the retraining program. It is possible that the successes of behavior therapy in numerous clinical and educational applications can be repeated in the cases of brain-damaged patients. However, such success would appear to be contingent on appreciation of the high degree of specificity often seen in neurological deficit patterns and the great complexities involved in the relationships between brain function and behavior.     

Value systems and psychopathology in family therapy

Two sets of values—the continuity and the discontinuity—are readily apparent in family conflict. Pathogenic relating erupts after an impasse between the sets of values. Husband-wife conflict, parent-child conflict, and conflict between the family and neighborhood or community are described in terms of conflict in value systems. Family therapy is a method for influencing the value systems.Each of the three role functions of the family therapist—the go-between, the side-taker, and the celebrant—expresses both continuity and discontinuity values which are described. Depending on his assessment of pathogenic relating and other features of family dysfunction, the therapist selectively expresses values that serve to disrupt and then repair destructive family interaction.The process of engaging families in therapy is crucial because many families, especially those that are poor and uneducated, do not like to sit and talk about problems. Short-term therapy works best with the majority of poor, uneducated families; it even works best with middle-class families. Short-term therapy works mainly because it least violates value expectations the majority of families have about therapy.An invited presentation for the First International Congress of Family Therapy held in Tel Aviv, Israel, in February, 1976. A brief version of this paper is scheduled forPsychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, Vol. 15, No. 1, 1978, but due to an extraordinary delay in publication of the above-named journal, the lengthier version here may actually appear in print first. The possibility is mutually acknowledged by the editors of both journals.     

Observer orientation and actor-observer differences in attributions for failure

In a series of two experiments, male undergraduates either operated or watched another person operate a model racecar set. Instructions varied observers' expectancies about future involvement with the task. The drivers' causal attributions for their performance were compared with those of neutral observers as well as those of involved observers who anticipated running on the track. Predictions, derived from the Jones and Nisbett framework of actor/observer differences, were that actors should make more external than internal attributions and that neutral or “passive” observers should do the opposite. Moreover, the involved or “active” observer groups were expected to display attributional patterns similar to those of the actors. These predictions were confirmed. Results are discussed in terms of information and information-processing differences between groups.     

A comparison of operant licking and lever pressing in the rat

Two groups of rats were trained on a signaled, free-operant, avoidance procedure to lick or to lever press in order to avoid shock while water-deprived or satiated and, in the case of licking, while ingesting deionized water, isotonic saline, or 10% sucrose. The most effective avoidance licking occurred while the rats were water-deprived and ingesting 10% sucrose. Water deprivation level had no effect on lever pressing for shock avoidance. Two other groups of rats were operantly conditioned to lick or to lever press for food pellets while waterdeprived or satiated and, in the case of licking, while ingesting deionized water or 10% sucrose. The most effective licking for food reinforcement occurred while the rats were water-deprived and ingesting 10% sucrose. Water deprivation level had no effect on lever pressing for food reinforcement. The data indicated that effective operant licking must be supported by factors related to water regulation and taste palatability.     

Phonemic behavior of aphasic patients with posterior cerebral lesions

The investigation analyzed the phonemic paraphasic errors of 10 asphasic patients with posterior cerebral lesions. The results indicated that paraphasic speech is characterized by complex confusions, often occurring at the ends of words and often involving phonemic transpositions. Many of the unusual and unexpected phonemic errors appeared to be due to simultaneous semantic and phonologic confusions.