We developed the MGH Hairpulling Scale to provide a brief, self-report instrument for assessing repetitive hairpulling. Seven individual items, rated severity from 0 4, assess urges pull, actual pulling, perceived control, and associated distress. administered scale 119 consecutive patients with chronic Statistical analyses indicate that seven items form homogenous measurement of in this disorder.

Assessment of symptom severity and change in chronic hairpulling has been limited by the absence a psychometrically validated clinical rating scale. The Massachusetts General Hospital Hairpulling Scale demonstrated test-retest reliability, convergent divergent validity, sensitivity to symptoms.

A 12-week open trial of fluoxetine in 61 obsessive-compulsive disorder patients significantly improved depressive and symptoms. Baseline depression scores were not related to improvement on two scales. The results reinforce the hypothesis serotonergic abnormalities disorder.

Some children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate full sentence speech but have developed patterns of socially inappropriate that is a barrier to developing positive social relationships. There currently very little research addressing this behavioral challenge in highly verbal ASD. We report on the case an 11-year-old boy ASD who exhibited behaviors interfered his relationships peers and teachers. Additionally, child had been exposed potentially traumatic experiences previous...

Seventeen patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and concomitant personality disorders were treated pharmacologic and/or behavioral therapy reassessed after 4 months. Nine of the 10 who responded to treatment for no longer met criteria a disorder. Of seven nonresponders, five continued meet

We evaluated contact desensitization (reinforcing approach responses) as intervention for specific phobia with a child diagnosed autism. During hospital‐based intervention, the boy was able to encounter previously avoided stimuli. Parental report suggested that results were maintained postdischarge.

Testing a variant of Wegner's (1989) “thought suppression” paradigm, we had subjects identify personally-relevant negative thought that been troubling them recently. Subjects were then randomly assigned either to target group or neutral (“white bear”) group, and an initial suppression condition (followed by free expression period) period). The results revealed in the experienced decline thoughts about white bears throughout course experiment, whereas asked first suppress personally relevant...

Liquid avoidance by children with developmental disabilities is a common problem but has not been researched extensively. In this study, 4-year-old girl who had autism and food selectivity was taught to drink milk through liquid fading procedure. The feeding protocol consisted of gradually increasing the concentration in beverage she consumed 100% time. Intervention implemented educational staff school setting. Milk consumption achieved rapidly without interruption sequence. Clinical...

During the past three decades, empirically supported strategies have been demonstrated for training of competencies--highly specific skills and behaviors that are needed to complete a critical job task. The present article reviews several examples competency-based in human service programs provides guidelines implementation by managers. Four methods delineating competency model described, with recommendations using them combination. A sample direct support worker is guideline provided...

Abstract Pica is a serious challenging behavior displayed by some persons with developmental disabilities. We report the near‐elimination of automatically reinforced pica in 7‐year‐old boy diagnosed autism having him practice an alternative response (discarding objects) contingent on attempted or actual pica. Intervention was implemented 6 hours per day, under naturalistic conditions school setting, outcome maintained through 4 month follow‐up phase evaluation. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley...

ABSTRACT We conducted a brief (8 days) functional analysis to identify sources of control over persistent saliva-play displayed by 6-year old child with autism in school setting. The suggested that was maintained automatic reinforcement, leading an intervention evaluation (3 compared two methods providing alternative sensory consequences. Saliva-play eliminated when the had access acceptable form oral stimulation, mouthing chew object, but unaffected he chewed gum. discussed merits and...

We evaluated contingent and noncontingent practice of an alternative behavior (appropriate play) as intervention for stereotypy that occurred with two play objects in a 5-year old boy autism. Contingent was implemented consequence stereotypy, the rate matched (yoked) to schedule. On average, one object (blocks) less frequent during implementation both practice, but neither procedure had sustained positive effect second (figures). Appropriate did not improve consistently intervention. Issues...

Care providers within human services organizations have many job responsibilities and performance expectations. In the present study, we conducted social validity assessment with 78 care concerning their attitudes opinions about behavior data recording adults who had intellectual disability lived in community group homes. Specifically, responded to a written questionnaire that inquired practicality, training/supervision, value of context service delivery. Results indicated generally high...

ABSTRACT We report the case of an 11-year-old boy with autism who demonstrated urinary incontinence that appeared to be maintained by social contingencies (adult attention and escape from activity “demands”). Although he wet himself frequently, also used bathroom appropriately made many self-initiated toileting requests. Intervention was implemented at a day-school (1) having wear disposable diaper so immediate clothes changing not required (escape extinction), (2) limiting requests use...

Abstract Delay tolerance training is used to teach children accept delayed access a requested item or event without exhibiting challenging behaviors. It during schedule thinning following acquisition of functional communication response (FCR) trained on its own in skills‐based treatment package. Typically, delay occurs clinic hospital, and rarely school classroom. Most often has been with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study integrated findings from previous research evaluate...

We present the case of a 30-year-old woman who had acquired brain injury (ABI) and demonstrated clinically challenging behaviors (verbally abusive outbursts toward care providers elopement) within her community-based group home. Following baseline phase evaluation, she collaborated with clinicians in developing treatment plan that included personal goal setting, differential token reinforcement, communication training, graphic performance feedback, reinforcement fading. During 10 months...