The literature pertaining to the use of operant-training procedures with psychotic children is reviewed. Ferster's concept of "behavioral deficit" is discussed as the explicit theoretical framework that can most parsimoniously govern these behavior analyses and subsequent modification programs. With relatively simple and communicable methods, beneficial results have been rapidly achieved, even by nonprofessional workers. Despite some lack of experimental rigor, the evidence is interpreted as strongly supportive of a social-learning model of severely pathological behavior and an operant-training model of therapy. A simplified etiological hypothesis is offered, and the issue of generality of adaptive change is discussed. Emphasis is placed upon attentional reorientation and the acquistion of elementary "learning strategies." 1 This review is based upon a paper submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania in partial fulfillment of requirements for the PhD degree. The author expresses his gratitude to Justin Aronfreed, James Geer, Harvey Winston, and Julius Wishner for their helpful critical comments.

No abstract

No abstract

A structured model is presented for brief training and evaluation of role-raking skills in young children. Using a within-subjects design, 16 emorionally disturbed boys ( M = 6-7 yr.) received brief training in role-taking and discussion with one story in the first condition and discussion only of another story in a second condition. N o differences between conditions were found in subjects' recall, number of affective words used, and amount of eye movement. T h e use of this model in a control-group design, with separate groups of children receiving role-taking and discussion conditions, is suggested, and the importance of using a structured technique in role-taking training is emphasized.

No abstract