Measuring and Increasing the Happiness of People With Profound Mental Retardation and Physical Handicaps

Favell, Judith E.; Realon, Rodney E.; Sutton, Kelly

doi:10.1002/(sici)1099-078x(199601)11:1<47::aid-bin146>3.0.co;2-p

Cited by 19 publications

(14 citation statements)

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“…Study 1 used a multimethod approach to address the difficulties inherent in the study of rapport (Altman, 1990;Favell et al, 1996;Haring, 1991;Tickle-Degnen & Rosenthal, 1990). Five sources of data (i.e., staff preference ratings made by the person with disabilities, self-ratings of staff members, ratings made by staff peers, direct observation of latency to problem behavior, and direct observation of task performance) were examined in an attempt to evaluate the rapport construct.…”

Section: Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, in the developmental disabilities literature, there is suggestive evidence that problem behavior is more likely to occur in the presence of nonpreferred staff members than preferred staff members, particularly when task demands are presented (Carr et al, 1994;Kemp & Carr, 1995;Demchak & Bossert, 1996). It has also been observed (Favell, Realon, & Sutton, 1996;Green & Reid, 1996) that positive interactions with staff members produce high levels of "happiness" (e.g., smiling, laughing) and low levels of "unhappiness" (e.g., crying, yelling). These reports are consistent with the notion that relationship quality (i.e., rapport) may be a key factor influencing problem behavior (Carr et al, 1994).…”

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confidence: 97%

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Quality of Rapport as a Setting Event for Problem Behavior

McLaughlin

Carr

2005

Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions

101

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Relationship quality (rapport) between people with developmental disabilities and their caregivers has long been suggested as an important variable influencing the likelihood of problem behavior. However, to date, the association between rapport and problem behavior has not been systematically investigated. The authors evaluated a multimethod strategy for assessing rapport and then used the assessment information to develop a multicomponent intervention for problem behavior. In Study 1, a descriptive assessment was carried out in which rapport was operationally defined, and good and poor rapport dyads consisting of staff members and participants were identified. Then, a functional analysis of each participant's problem behavior was conducted with respect to the interaction of two factors: quality of rapport and task demands. The results of the assessment study indicated that when rapport was poor, levels of problem behavior were high; when rapport was good, levels of problem behavior were low. In Study 2, the authors evaluated the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention package designed to improve rapport between the person with disabilities and his or her caregiver. When rapport improved, participants showed a decrease in problem behavior and an increase in task completion in the presence of staff members who had previously been identified as having poor rapport with participants. The multidimensional nature of rapport assessment, as well as the unique contribution that rapport-building can make to multicomponent intervention, are discussed.

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Section: Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 97%

Quality of Rapport as a Setting Event for Problem Behavior

McLaughlin

Carr

2005

Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions

101

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“…Because individuals with severe disabilities are not able to verbally report on their moods, researchers (e.g., Favell, Realon, & Sutton, 1996;Green & Reid, 1996) have rated facial expression as a way to measure a person's mood as an alternative. Several studies about the affective states of people with severe disabilities have paid attention to how to measure happiness in nonverbal individuals and how to induce behavioral signs of happiness (e.g., Favell et al, 1996;Green & Reid, 1996, 1999Ivancic, Barrett, Simonow, & Kimberly, 1997). Defining and measuring observable indices of happiness was one of the first steps in this area to operationalize dependent variables.…”

Section: Students With Severe Disabilitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although evidence for the validity of the system has been developed, it appears to be cumbersome and costly to use. Fortunately, Favell et al (1996) developed an easier way to measure signs of happiness. In their study, seven participants with severe or profound mental retardation were videotaped during musical activities.…”

Section: Students With Severe Disabilitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Functional Effect of Teacher Positive and Neutral Affect on Task Performance of Students With Significant Disabilities

Park

Singer

Gibson

2005

Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions

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The study uses an alternating treatment design to evaluate the functional effect of teacher's affect on students' task performance. Tradition in special education holds that teachers should engage students using positive and enthusiastic affect for task presentations and praise. To test this assumption, we compared two affective conditions. Three teachers working with a total of 4 elementary-age students with severe disabilities presented discrete trial tasks in neighborhood public school settings. The teachers alternated their affect between a positive affective condition characterized by smiling, enthusiasm, and rising and falling voice inflection and a neutral affect condition characterized by a flat voice tone and inexpressive facial features. Three of the four students responded more accurately to instructional tasks when teachers presented task demands and praise using positive affect. A fourth student, however, performed worse under the positive affect condition. This student had a long history of problem behavior in instructional settings. Implications for assessment practices are discussed.

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“…To date, behavioral research has directed little attention specifically to the issue of happiness among people with profound multiple disabilities (Favell, Realon, & Sutton, 1996). Among investigations that have addressed indices potentially related to happiness among people with developmental disabilities in general, the indices typically have been viewed as collateral effects of interventions designed to address other variables, such as aberrant behavior (e.g., Linscheid, Iwata, Ricketts, Williams, & Griffin, 1990).…”

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confidence: 99%

A Behavioral Approach to Identifying Sources of Happiness and Unhappiness among Individuals with Profound Multiple Disabilities

Green¹,

Reid

1999

Behav Modif

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This investigation evaluated a behavioral means of identifying sources of happiness and unhappiness among individuals with profound multiple disabilities. Indices of happiness and unhappiness were defined, and a corresponding observation system was developed and implemented with five students in an adult education classroom. Each student was observed while participating in two separate classroom activities. Results indicated the definitions and the observation system reliably identified different frequencies of happiness and/or unhappiness indices for each student across separate activities. Results are discussed regarding routine use of the observation system to evaluate classroom activities for effects on student happiness as a measure of quality of life. Future research needs are discussed in terms of determining means to alter certain classroom procedures that are accompanied by indices of student unhappiness.

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Measuring and Increasing the Happiness of People With Profound Mental Retardation and Physical Handicaps

Cited by 19 publications

References 0 publications

Quality of Rapport as a Setting Event for Problem Behavior

Quality of Rapport as a Setting Event for Problem Behavior

The Functional Effect of Teacher Positive and Neutral Affect on Task Performance of Students With Significant Disabilities

A Behavioral Approach to Identifying Sources of Happiness and Unhappiness among Individuals with Profound Multiple Disabilities

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