Development and Content Validity of the Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire

Qualitative methodology was used to develop items for a questionnaire designed to examine the perspectives of parents regarding the impact of the sensory environment on participation for children aged 3 to 5 who have autism spectrum disorders. A total of 34 parents/caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorders and 8 experts in autism spectrum disorders and/or measurement completed qualitative interviews for concept, content review, and cognitive interviewing. The result was a pool of 35 items for home/community domains for 3 scales. The outcome of this study was the development and content validation of the Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire.     

Brief assessment and treatment of multiple challenging behaviors

We conducted a brief assessment of multiple challenging behaviors in a 19‐year‐old man with developmental disabilities. The results of the brief assessment suggested that spitting and aggression were attention maintained, whereas property destruction was related to escape and tangibles. Spitting also appeared to have a sensory component. Based on the results of the brief assessment, three treatments were evaluated. For attention, treatment involved noncontingent attention and teaching an alternative attention‐gaining gesture. For the escape and tangible functions, opportunities to request tangibles were made contingent on task participation. The third treatment involved provision of leisure materials to provide an alternative source of sensory stimulation. All three treatments were associated with reduced challenging behavior and increased alternative behaviors. These findings suggest that a combination of brief assessment and treatment evaluation may be a useful component in the provision of behavioral support to individuals with developmental disabilities who present with multiple forms of challenging behaviors. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Individual Differences Associated with Emotional and Behavioral Responses to Ambiguous Social Situations in which Rejection Might be Inferred

This study sought to examine the extent to which undergraduates' experiences with and attitudes relevant to rejection may be associated with their emotional and behavioral responses to ambiguous social situations in which rejection might be inferred. Undergraduate students completed questionnaires that assessed their experiences with and attitudes relevant to being rejected. Next, each participant read six hypothetical scenarios that described various situations that could be interpreted as interpersonal rejection. Following each scenario, participants completed questionnaires that assessed their emotional and behavioral responses to the hypothetical situation. Analyses revealed that the participants' experiences with rejection (and, to a lesser extent, their rejection-relevant attitudes) were associated with a negative emotional response and some negative behavioral responses. In sum, when another individual's interpersonal behavior has an uncertain intent, undergraduates' prior experiences with rejection may be especially important in determining the extent to which they feel and act as if they have been rejected.     

THE EARTH CHARTER AND JOURNEY OF THE UNIVERSE: AN INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK FOR BIODEMOCRACY

The principles of the Earth Charter and the cosmological story of Journey of the Universe provide a unique synergy for rethinking a sustainable future. The Great Story inspires the Great Work of the transformation of the political, social, and economic orders. Such a synergy can contribute to the broadened understanding of sustainability as including economic, ecological, social, and spiritual well‐being. This integrated understanding may be a basis for creating biodemocracies, which will involve long‐term policies, programs, and practices for a planetary future that is not only ethically sustainable, but also sustaining for human energies.