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UCSB Koegel Autism Center

Journal of

Positive Behavior Interventions

Volume 13, Number 2, April 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS AND ABSTRACTS

Articles:

Right Science and Right Results: Lifestyle Change, PBS, and Human Dignity
Ann Turnbull and Rud Turnbull

This article provides an in-depth analysis of the comprehensive supports necessary for an adult with multiple disabilities and significant problem behavior to experience an inclusive adulthood. Written from the perspective of parents, the article highlights “lessons learned” about how to implement and finance comprehensive supports across domains of home living, work, friendships, community connections, wellness, as well as additional areas. Practice tips are provided in terms of potential replication.

JPBI 10 Years Later: Trends in Research Studies
Sean M. O'Dell, Brigid A. Vilardo, Lee Kern, Anastasia Kokina, Allison N. Ash, Kimberly J. Seymour, Lauren M. Castrantas, Rachel B. Kollar, Andrea M. Wagner, Audrey Bartholomew, and Lisa B. Thomas

In 2008, the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions (JPBI) celebrated 10 years in publication. As the flagship journal of positive behavior support (PBS), it is important to periodically examine the research published in JPBI to determine whether it reflects the basic principles of PBS, to explore the ways in which PBS is being practiced, and to consider future directions for PBS. We analyzed various dimensions of intervention research studies published in JPBI during the first 10 years. The data indicate that research has increasingly becoming aligned with PBS principles in many areas, yet other areas merit additional focus in the future.

Self- Versus Teacher Management of Behavior for Elementary School Students With Asperger Syndrome: Impact on Classroom Behavior
Karrie A. Shogren, Russell Lang, Wendy Machalicek, Mandy J. Rispoli, and Mark O'Reilly

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of a token economy and a self-management intervention in an inclusive kindergarten classroom. Two 5-year-old children with Asperger syndrome who were struggling to follow classroom rules participated in the study. An ABACABAC (A = baseline, B = token economy, C = self-management) design with a maintenance phase was used. Results show improvements in appropriate classroom behavior and academic engagement during the token economy and self-management phases. The improvements were maintained 2, 4, and 8 weeks after the study ended and the classroom teacher continued to use the self-management system with the target students and independently created and implemented a classwide self-management system. Social validity data suggested a strong teacher preference for the self-management intervention because of its ease of implementation and focus on student responsibility. Implications for future research are discussed.

Increasing Secondary Teachers’ Behavior-Specific Praise Using a Video Self-Modeling and Visual Performance Feedback Intervention
Shannon M. Hawkins and L. Juane Heflin

Teachers working with students with emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD) in elementary schools can be helped to increase use of an important behavioral strategy, behavior-specific praise statements (BSPS). Unfortunately, teachers’ behaviors return to baseline levels when researchers leave, and little is known about the use of praise on high school students. To investigate strategies to promote maintenance of behavior change, an intervention combining visual performance feedback and video self-modeling was implemented with three teachers of high school students with EBD. A multiple baseline with embedded withdrawal design demonstrated a functional relation between the intervention and increased use of BSPS; however, only one teacher continued to give BSPS when the intervention was withdrawn. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

The Differential Effect of Three Naturalistic Language Interventions on Language Use in Children With Autism
Brooke Ingersoll

In this study, evaluation of direct behavior rating (DBR) occurred with regard to two primary areas: (a) accuracy of ratings with varied instrumentation (anchoring: proportional or absolute) and procedures (observation length: 5 min, 10 min, or 20 min) and (b) one-week test—retest reliability. Participants viewed video clips of a typical third grade student and then used single-item DBR scales to rate disruptive and academically engaged behavior. Overall, ratings tended to overestimate the actual occurrence of behavior. Although ratings of academic engagement were not affected by duration of the observation, ratings of disruptive behavior were, as the longer the duration, the more the ratings of disruptive behavior were overestimated. In addition, the longer the student was disruptive, the greater the overestimation effect. Results further revealed that anchoring the DBR scale as proportional versus absolute number of minutes did not affect rating accuracy. Finally, test—retest analyses revealed low to moderate consistency across time points for 10-min and 20-min observations, with increased consistency as the number of raters or number of ratings increased (e.g., four 5-min vs. one 20-min). Overall, results contribute to the technical evaluation of DBR as a behavior assessment method and provide preliminary information regarding the influence of duration of an observation period on DBR data.

The Impact of Observation Duration on the Accuracy of Data Obtained From Direct Behavior Rating (DBR)
T. Chris Riley-Tillman, Theodore J. Christ, Sandra M. Chafouleas, Christina H. Boice-Mallach, and Amy Briesch

In this study, evaluation of direct behavior rating (DBR) occurred with regard to two primary areas: (a) accuracy of ratings with varied instrumentation (anchoring: proportional or absolute) and procedures (observation length: 5 min, 10 min, or 20 min) and (b) one-week test—retest reliability. Participants viewed video clips of a typical third grade student and then used single-item DBR scales to rate disruptive and academically engaged behavior. Overall, ratings tended to overestimate the actual occurrence of behavior. Although ratings of academic engagement were not affected by duration of the observation, ratings of disruptive behavior were, as the longer the duration, the more the ratings of disruptive behavior were overestimated. In addition, the longer the student was disruptive, the greater the overestimation effect. Results further revealed that anchoring the DBR scale as proportional versus absolute number of minutes did not affect rating accuracy. Finally, test—retest analyses revealed low to moderate consistency across time points for 10-min and 20-min observations, with increased consistency as the number of raters or number of ratings increased (e.g., four 5-min vs. one 20-min). Overall, results contribute to the technical evaluation of DBR as a behavior assessment method and provide preliminary information regarding the influence of duration of an observation period on DBR data.