Countercontrol: A Relational Frame Theory (RFT) Account and Revival of a 70-Year-Old Skinnerian Term.

Countercontrol is a Skinnerian operant concept that posits that an individual's attempts to exert control over another person's behavior may evoke a countercontrolling response from the person being controlled that functions to avoid or escape the potentially aversive conditions generated by the controller. Despite Skinner's historical concerns regarding the detrimental effects of countercontrol in terms of hindering optimal societal growth and cultural evolution, the concept has not been widely applied within behavior analysis. Drawing from recent developments in rule-governed behavior and relational frame theory, this article seeks to explicate countercontrol from a contemporary behavior analytic perspective and presents several modern-day societal applications.

A Review of Child Sexual Abuse: Impact, Risk, and Resilience in the Context of Culture.

Child sexual abuse is a problem with both a national and worldwide prevalence. In this review, the authors note that while empirical research has clearly shown the negative impact of child sexual abuse on social, psychological, and sexual functioning later in life, it has also been reported that some individuals remain asymptomatic despite a history of experiencing child sexual abuse. This implies that negative outcomes later in life are not inevitable and illustrates the critical need to elucidate how resilience may moderate the negative impacts of child sexual abuse.

Developing the Family Involvement Questionnaire-Long-Term Care: A Measure of Familial Involvement in the Lives of Residents at Long-Term Care Facilities.

Introduction: Existing measures designed to assess family involvement in the lives of older adults residing in long-term care facilities are basic, using visitation frequency as the prominent gauge of involvement in a situation specific fashion. The purpose of this study was to design and validate a measure of family involvement that could be used to gauge more aspects of family involvement than visitation alone and be useful in a variety of settings for both researchers and long-term care facility administrators.

Methods: Long-term facility staff were asked to assist in creating a 40-item questionnaire that used 4-point Likert scales to measure various aspects of family involvement.

Sensitivity of the Balance Error Scoring System and the Sensory Organization Test in the Combat Environment.

This study evaluated the utility of the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) and the Sensory Organization Test (SOT) as tools for the screening and monitoring of Service members (SMs) with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in a deployed setting during the acute and subacute phases of recovery. Patient records (N = 699) were reviewed for a cohort of SMs who sustained a blast-related mTBI while deployed to Afghanistan and were treated at the Concussion Restoration Care Center (CRCC) at Camp Leatherneck. On initial intake into the CRCC, participants completed two assessments of postural control, the BESS, and SOT.

Best Practices in Utilizing the Changing Criterion Design.

The changing criterion design (CCD) has been a recognized format of single-case research for four decades. Published examples of the CCD have been limited and the structure of the design used in the literature has varied to a degree that might engender confusion. This review examines the structure of CCD studies published to date to identify prior implementation practices and identify best practices for future use.

Unexpected Results From a Change in Token Type.

We have noted an unusual phenomenon in our association with an inpatient behavioral health facility located in the midwestern United States. Most consumers treated in this facility exhibit conduct disorders, oppositional defiant disorder or attention deficit disorders. The facility also treats individuals with various anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and autism.

Dolphin-Assisted Therapy: Claims versus Evidence.

The purpose of this paper is to review and critique studies that have been conducted on dolphin-assisted therapy for children with various disorders. Studies have been released claiming swimming with dolphins is therapeutic and beneficial for children with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, physical disabilities, and other psychological disorders. The majority of the studies conducted supporting the effectiveness of dolphin-assisted therapy have been found to have major methodological concerns making it impossible to draw valid conclusions.

Dubowitz syndrome: a review and implications for cognitive, behavioral, and psychological features.

Unlabelled: Dubowitz syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by micorcephaly, short stature, abnormal faces, and mild to severe mental retardation. Growth retardation occurs both intrauterine and postnatal. Behavioral characteristics include hyperactivity, short attention span, and aggressiveness.

Command use and compliance in staff communication with elderly residents of long-term care facilities.

Verbal communication between nursing assistants and individuals with dementia can be challenging, particularly during hands-on caregiving tasks. Although there are many aspects of verbal communication that can affect the quality of an interaction, one potentially important communication variable is the types of commands issued by nursing assistants when they need a resident to complete a task. The purpose of this study was to examine the kinds of commands used by nursing care staff when they interact with patients with dementia during activities of daily living.

The role of behavior analysis in the rehabilitation of persons with dementia.

With the rapidly aging population, it is expected that increases in cases of dementia will double over the next 20 years. Currently, there is no cure for diseases such as Alzheimer's disease or frontotemporal dementia (FTD) that cause progressive dementia, and only a few pharmacological interventions that slow the progression of the decline exist. Given that there is no cure available, a rehabilitation approach that emphasizes maintaining existing abilities and removing excess disability (as opposed to emphasizing cure or recovery) for as long as possible is warranted.

Brief report: childhood disintegrative disorder: a brief examination of eight case studies.

Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD) is a rare condition characterized by distinct regression of developmental and behavioral functioning following a period of apparently normal development for at least 2 years. The purpose of this article is to present the developmental, behavioral, psychosocial, and medical histories of eight children who have been diagnosed with CDD in an attempt to advance the understanding of this rare disorder. Results indicate the average age of onset was 3.

Is smoking related to body image satisfaction, stress, and self-esteem in young adults?

Objectives: To examine the association of smoking and gender with body image satisfaction, perceived stress, and self-esteem in young adults.

Methods: Respondents completed a survey consisting of Perceived Stress Scale, Body-Areas Satisfaction Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Current smokers (n = 483) and never smokers (n = 973) are included.