Table Of ContentHandbook of
Behavior Therapy
in Education
Handbook of
Behavior Therapy
in Education
Edited by
Joseph C. Witt
Louisiana Siale University
Balon Rouge, Louisiana
Stephen N. Elliott
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
and
Frank M. Gresham
Louisiana Siale University
Balon Rouge, Louisiana
Plenum Press • New York and London
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Handbook of behavior therapy in education.
Includes bibliographies and index.
1. Behavior modification. 2. Behavior therapy for children. 3. School psychology. 4.
Child psychotherapy. I. Witt, Joseph c. II. Elliott, Stephen N. III. Gresham, Frank.
LBI060.2.H36 1988 370.15'3 88·4191
ISBN -13 :978-1-4612-8238-9 e-ISBN -13 :978-1-4613-0905-5
DOl: 10.1007/978-1-4613-0905-5
© 1988 Plenum Press, New York
Sof tcover reprint of the hardcover Is t edition 1988
A Division of Plenum Publishing Corporation
233 Spring Street, New York, N.Y. IO013
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming,
recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher
For three who taught me:
Robert M. Adams, who introduced me both to a science of human
behavior and to Kantor and helped me learn to write
Lee Meyerson, who introduced me both to an ecological perspective and
to Lewin and helped me learn to think
Nancy Kerr, who fully introduced me both to the 0 in the S-O-R
paradigm and to Galileo and helped me learn to appreciate the uniquess
and the power of the individual
JOSEPH C. WITI
Dedicated to my sons, Dustin Rhodes and Andrew Taylor, to my friend,
Ed Argulewicz, and to my wife, Anita
STEPHEN N. ELLIOTI
To Gwen, Jennifer, Julie, and Jill, without whose tolerance above and
beyond the call of duty this book would not have been possible
FRANK M. GRESHAM
Contributors
Kay Aldridge Caryn L. Carlson
Department of Psychology Department of Psychology
University of Arizona Virginia Polytechnic Institute and
Tucson, Arizona State University
Blacksburg, Virginia
Teresa Kay Anderson
Ampitheater Public Schools Laura B. Carper
Tucson, Arizona Department of Psychology
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Donald M. Baer
Department of Human Development
University of Kansas Joseph Corrao
Lawrence, Kansas Department of Psychology
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, Nebraska
Wendy K. Berg
Department of Pediatrics
Lucinda Cummings
University Hospital School
Kennedy Memorial Hospital for Children
University of Iowa
Brighton, Massachusetts
Iowa City, Iowa
Carl J. Dunst
John R. Bergan Human Development Research and Training
Department of Educational Psychology Institute
University of Arizona Western Carolina Center
Tucson, Arizona Morganton, North Carolina
Michael P. Carey Craig Edelbrock
Department of Psychology Department of Psychiatry
Louisiana State University University of Massachusetts Medical School
Baton Rouge, Louisiana Worchester, Massachusetts
vii
viii
CONTRIBUTORS
Stephen N. Elliott Alan E. Kazdin
Department of Educational Psychology Department of Psychiatry
Univeristy of Wisconsin-Madison Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic
Madison, Wisconsin University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Ian M. Evans
Department of Psychology Mary L. Kelley
SUNY -Binghamton Department of Psychology
Binghamton, New York Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Jason K. Feld
Phillip C. Kendall
Department of Educational Psychology
Department of Psychology
University of Arizona
Temple University
Tucson, Arizona
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Michael Ferrari
Gloria S. Kishi
Department of Individual and Family
Division of Special Education and
Studies
Rehabilitation
University of Delaware
Syracuse University
Newark, Delaware
Syracuse, New York
Cyril M. Franks Rebecca Dailey Kneedler
Graduate School of Applied and Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and
Professional Psychology Special Education
Rutgers University University of Virginia
Piscataway, New Jersey Charlottesville, Virginia
Anthony J. Goreczny Thomas R. Kratochwill
Department of Psychology Department of Educational Psychology
Louisiana State University School Psychology Program
Baton Rouge, Louisiana University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Brandon F. Greene
Jayne A. Kurkjian
Behavior Analysis and Therapy Program
Department of Psychology
Southern Illinois University
SUNY-Binghamton
Carbondale, Illinois
Binghamton, New York
Frank M. Gresham Benjamin B. Lahey
Department of Psychology Department of Psychology
Louisiana State University Georgia Children's Center
Baton Rouge, Louisiana University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Sandra L. Harris
Graduate School of Applied and Kathleen L. Lemanek
Professional Psychology Department of Pediatrics
Rutgers University University of Miami School of Medicine
Piscataway, New Jersey Miami, Florida
ix
CONTRIBUTORS
Francis E. Lentz, Jr. Richard J. Morris
College of Education Department of Educational Psychology
University of Cincinnati School Psychology Program
Cincinnati, Ohio University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
F. Charles Mace
Graduate School of Applied and C. Michael Nelson
Professional Psychology Department of Special Education
Rutgers University University of Kentucky
Piscataway, New Jersey Lexington, Kentucky
Brian K. Martens Kathleen D. Paget
Department of Psychology Department of Psychology
Syracuse University University of South Carolina
Syracuse, New York Columbia, South Carolina
Johnny L. Matson Michael D. Powers
Department of Psychology
Department of Special Education
Louisiana State University
University of Maryland
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
College Park, Maryland
Sandra J. McKenzie Robert B. Rutherford, Jr.
Department of Psychology Department of Special Education
Louisiana State University Arizona State University
Baton Rouge, Louisiana Tempe, Arizona
T. F. McLaughlin
Elizabeth A. Schaughency
Department of Special Education
Oregon Health Sciences Center
Gonzaga University
University of Oregon
Spokane, Washington
Eugene, Oregon
Ruth Lyn Meese
Edward S. Shapiro
Department of Education, Special
College of Education
Education, and Social Work
Lehigh University
Longwood College
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Farmville, Virginia
Gary B. Melton Joyce C. Swarner
Department of Psychology Department of Educational Psychology
University of Nebraska-Lincoln University of Arizona
Lincoln, Nebraska Tucson, Arizona
Luanna H. Meyer Carol M. Trivette
Division of Special Education and Human Development Research and Training
Rehabilitation Institute
Syracuse University Western Carolina Center
Syracuse, New York Morganton, North Carolina
x
CONTRIBUTORS
Dorothy J. VanBuren Donald A. Williamson
Department of Psychology Department of Psychology
Louisiana State University Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, Louisiana Baton Rouge, Louisiana
David P. Wacker Joseph c. Witt
Department of Pediatrics Department of Psychology
University Hospital School Louisiana State University
University of Iowa Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Iowa City, Iowa
William H. Yeaton
Edward J. Watson-Perczel ISRISRC
Behavior Analysis and Therapy Program University of Michigan
Southern Illinois University Ann Arbor, Michigan
Carbondale, Illinois
Randy Lee Williams
Department of Special Education
Gonzaga University
Spokane, Washington
Preface
What do we know about behavioral analysis and intervention in educational
settings? Given that educational institutions were among the first to embrace the
new technology of behavior change in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it is apparent
that we have had the opportunity to learn a great deal. The evolution of the field
of behavior therapy has witnessed a change in the behavior therapist from an
adolescent fascination with repeatedly demonstrating the effectiveness of the
new technology to a mature recognition of the complex implications of the behav
ioral paradigm for individuals, systems, and society.
Many "facts" now taken for granted were considered impossibilities a mere
two decades ago. In her 1986 presidential address to Division 25 of the American
Psychological Association, Beth Sulzer-Azaroff reviewed a number of changes in
attitude in education that were strongly influenced by behavior therapy. Most
educators now agree that (a) everyone can learn, (b) complex skills can be taught,
(c) precise, general, and durable performance can be taught, and (d) barriers to
learning can be overcome. In addition, we would add that behavior therapy is
being applied to increasingly more complex human problems, such as social skill
deficits, internalizing disorders, and dysfunctional systems and organizations.
Along with these accomplishments has come a growing recognition of the
problems inherent in the application of behavioral technology. Among these
problems have been frequent failures in the generalization and maintenance of
change, unanticipated second-and third-order effects (i.e., side effects) of inter
ventions, and legal challenges to some procedures. Concomitantly, there has
been an increase in the resistance to behavioral procedures in education. Many
teachers will not even consider using "behavior modification." For interventions
that are attempted, there are frequent practical problems with treatment integrity
and the maintenance of treatment at sufficient strength for a sufficient amount of
time to be effective.
Within the context of these possibilities and complexities, it is the goal of this
text to provide clear statements of what behavior therapy has to offer education.
This analysis takes the form of providing not only a comprehensive synthesis of
research and practice, but also provides the content and process for confronting
the problems head on. If there is a singular aim of this book, it is to describe
behavioral solutions to the most pressing educational problems, but to accom-
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