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Biomedical subjects

J L Matson

Publications and source records attributed to J L Matson.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Increasing spelling achievement: an analysis of treatment procedures utilizing an alternating treatments design.

Two studies which examine the effectiveness of spelling remediation procedures are reported. In both studies, an alternating treatment design was employed. In the first study, positive practice overcorrection plus positive reinforcement was compared to positive practice alone and a no-remediation control condition. In the second study, positive practice plus positive reinforcement was compared to a traditional corrective procedure plus positive reinforcement and a traditional procedure when used alone. Results of both studies indicated that the combined positive practice plus positive reinforcement procedure was more efficient and that it was preferred by the children. Following brief training under this combined procedure, all children demonstrated 100% spelling accuracy.

Adolescent↗

Comparison of operant- and independence-training procedures for mentally retarded adults.

Seventy-five moderatley to profoundly retarded adults in an exit unit of a large state institution were randomly assigned to one of three groups: standard treatment, independence training, and no treatment control. Pre- and posttreatment measures, with progress being defined as an increase in the percentage of operationally defined steps completed for one behavior, were taken for all three groups on one of two types of targeted self-help behavior. A significant increase in correctly completed steps of the target behavior from pre- to posttreatment, as well as from pretreatment to follow-up assessment, was noted for the independence-training group. Independence training proved to be significantly more effective, and staff members preferred it over both standard treatment and no-treatment control at the postassessment.

Activities of Daily Living↗

A social learning approach to vocational training of the severely retarded.

Seven severely retarded adults from a small rural developmental centre were treated for in appropriate vocational behaviour in the centre's workshop. Target types of behaviour were accurate and efficient performance of three types of operationally defined work behaviour collectively called work skills. Specific inappropriate behaviour for individual residents included chin wiping, inappropriate touching, and eyes off task. Training involved providing instructions, performance feedback, role-playing, and social and monetary reinforcers, which resulted in improvement in all types of targeted behaviour. Follow-up four weeks after treatment was conducted revealed a maintenance of gains on target behaviour.

Education of Persons with Intellectual Disabilitie↗

The buddy system: a method for generalized reduction of inappropriate interpersonal behaviour of retarded-psychiatric patients.

Previous research has suggested a strategy for training social skills in chronic retarded-psychotic patients, but has not demonstrated extensive generalization or maintenance of gains. This study varied the standard training procedure (e.g. Bellack et al., 1976) in an attempt to improve generalization and maintenance. First, training involved instructions, modelling, role-playing, and feedback with daily problem situations rather than preselected, pre-written scenes. Second, each of the two patients treated served as a partner for the other; each patient monitored the other's behaviour and provided reinforcement, information and feedback to the 'buddy' (directly in the living environment). The procedure was effective in teaching appropriate social behaviours on the ward as well as in therapy sessions. Post-checks, taken 6 weeks after the conclusion of the treatment, indicated that improvements were maintained.

Adult↗

Internal control and success orientation in a token economy for emotionally disturbed adolescents.

Forty-one emotionally disturbed adolescents were tested at each of three token economy levels on Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale and Guevar's Success-Failure Inventory. Delay of reinforcement (immediate, daily, weekly) was the primary differentiation between levels. One-way analyses of variance indicated a change across levels in the direction of more perceived internal control of behavior (p less than .025) and a greater success orientation (p less than .005). Change scores were not correlated with length of time in the program. Results suggest that the token economy as an external source of control is not necessarily incompatible with increasing patient expectancies of present and future control of the environment.

Adolescent↗