Relationships between assessment and treatment within a behavioral perspective

Three alternative strategies to link assessment and treatment within a behavioral perspective are described. First is the functional analysis in which the maintaining variables of the target behavior are identified in assessment and modified in treatment. Although this strategy appears to be frequently successful based on positive treatment outcome, critical tests are seldom done: hypothesized functional analyses are not tested prior to intervention; nor is treatment outcome based on one functional analysis pitted against treatment outcome based on an alternative functional analysis. The second strategy is the keystone target behavior strategy. From among multiple possible target behaviors, one is selected for intervention that produces therapeutic response covariation. The third strategy is the diagnostic strategy. A treatment is selected for a particular client based on its overall success in treating a particular disorder. Empirical comparisons are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these different strategies, linking assessment and treatment for different disorders.Portions of this paper were presented as invited addresses at the meetings of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Philadelphia, November 1984, and of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, August 1986.     

Reliability,validity, and cross-cultural comparisons for the simplified attitudes toward women scale

This article investigates the use of the simplified version of the Attitudes Toward Women Scale with 278 American adults taken from the general population. Normative data and estimates of internal consistency reliability are reported, both for the overall sample and for selected subgroups. Females are found to have more liberal sex role attitudes than males, younger people to have more liberal attitudes than older people, and those of higher social status to have more liberal attitudes than those of lower status, supporting the construct validity of the scale. A cross-cultural comparison is also made between the scores of British and American women.     

Evaluation of a youth suicide prevention school program

Adolescent suicide is a subject of increasing national concern. In California, this problem was addressed through the implementation of a three-year youth suicide prevention school program established by legislative mandate in 1983. Findings for the first two years of the program indicate significant gains in understanding of youth suicide prevention techniques for those high school students who completed a four-hour training course. School staff and parents completing 90-minute youth suicide awareness seminars indicated that they most appreciated receiving practical advice and resources they could use in responding to a potentially suicidal young person.     

Self-instruction: An analysis of the differential effects of instruction and reinforcement

This study investigated the impact of training 9 first- and second-grade children to use a full self-instructional regimen, and then differentially reinforced the use of self-instruction only, accuracy only, or both self-instruction and accuracy. Three comparison children received no training in self-instruction and were reinforced for accuracy only. Children improved dramatically in academic accuracy subsequent to self-instructional training, independent of the use of self-instruction and of the specific behavior consequated. Children who were reinforced for using self-instruction did use self-instruction, and those who were not, did not. Comparison group children showed little improvement until training in problem-solving strategies was given after 9 days of reinforcement for accuracy. Self-instructional training is discussed as one type of event that increases the likelihood of accurate performance. Its effectiveness may be explained in terms of a teaching strategy rather than in terms of modifying cognitive processes.     

FIELD REPLICATION OF CLASSWIDE PEER TUTORING

We conducted a large-scale field replication study of classwide peer tutoring applied to spelling instruction (Greenwood, Delquadri, & Hall, 1984). Two hundred and eleven inner-city students in four schools participated during their first- and second-grade school years. The effects of classwide peer tutoring were compared to teacher instructional procedures and pretest probes using a group replication design (Barlow, Hayes, & Nelson, 1984). Analysis of group and individual results indicated that (a) both teacher instructional procedures and classwide peer tutoring were effective in increasing spelling performance above pretest levels, (b) peer tutoring produced statistically greater gains relative to the teachers' procedures for both low and high student groups formed on pretest levels, (c) these outcomes were representative of groups, classes, individuals, and years during the project, and (d) participant satisfaction with the program was generally high. A separate analysis of the social importance of treatment outcome revealed differential findings for low and high groups related to pretest levels. Implications of these findings are discussed.