Objective To assess whether parent training in behavioral intervention, combined with a 16-session nutrition and activity education program, would improve weight loss relative to nutrition and activity education alone in adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome. Study design 21 youth with Down syndrome aged 13-26 with a BMI ≥85th percentile were enrolled and randomized to a 6-month nutrition and activity education intervention (n=10) or to nutrition and activity education+behaviorial intervention (n=11), and followed for 6 months after the active intervention period (1-year follow-up). The primary outcome measure was body weight; secondary outcomes included percentage body fat (%fat) by bioelectric impedance; intake of fruits, vegetables, and energy-dense low-nutrient snack food (treats) by 3-day food record; and moderate/vigorous physical activity by accelerometry. Results At 6 months, mean body weight in the nutrition and activity education+behaviorial intervention group was 3.2kg lower than in the nutrition and activity education group (95%CI: 1.0, 5.5, p=0.005). Mean group differences were sustained at 1 year (3.6kg 95%CI: 1.4, 5.9, p=0.002). At 6 months, moderate/vigorous physical activity time averaged 18 minutes/day more in nutrition and activity education+behaviorial intervention than at baseline (p=0.01); in nutrition and activity education, moderate/vigorous physical activity declined by 7 minutes/day (p=0.30); these changes were largely maintained at 1 year, but were not statistically significant. Vegetable intake in nutrition and activity education+behaviorial intervention exceeded intake in nutrition and activity education by a mean of 1.6 servings at 1 year (p=0.009), but not at 6 months. No group differences were observed for %fat or consumption of fruits or treats. Conclusions Parent-supported behavioral intervention appears to be a successful adjunct to a 6-month nutrition education intervention in achieving weight loss in youth with Down syndrome.

We evaluated several behavioral coaching procedures for improving offensive line pass-blocking skills with 5 high school varsity football players. Pass blocking was measured during practice drills and games, and our intervention included descriptive feedback with and without video feedback and teaching with acoustical guidance (TAG). Intervention components and pass blocking were evaluated in a multiple baseline design, which showed that video feedback and TAG were the most effective procedures. For all players, improved pass blocking matched a standard derived by observing more experienced linemen and was evident in games. Additional intervention was required to maintain pass-blocking proficiency. Issues pertinent to behavioral coaching and sport psychology research are discussed.

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Early behavioral intervention, based on the methods of applied behavior analysis, has the strongest and most consistent scientific support as a means of teaching skills to young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and reducing their restricted and maladaptive behavior. Though individual ABA-based treatment plans are usually developed, designed and supervised by a senior-level clinician, they are most often implemented by a practitioner, such as a parent, direct service provider, aide, or an early childhood professional from a related discipline. Unfortunately, few practitioner-orientated training programs are available to geographically disparate persons. Online distance-learning education offers a potential solution to this problem. Fifty-one individuals participated in an initial study of a short, three-module online course. The results showed a highly statistically significant difference between the mean pre-test and post-test score. The outcomes suggest the feasibility and user satisfaction of teaching BI knowledge acquisition online, and thus bolster confidence that future, larger-scale curricula aimed at teaching BI in a distance-learning format is warranted.