Psychology 669
Child Behavior Therapy
Winter 2000
Syllabus
Instructor:
Linda A. LeBlanc, Ph.D.
3528 Wood Hall
387-4920
Linda.Leblanc@wmich.edu
Class meets: M 2:00-4:50 pm
Required Course Materials:
1) Watson, T. S., & Gresham, F. M (1998). Handbook of Child Behavior Therapy. New York:
Plenum Press.
2) Coursepack with selected readings handed out in class or made available at bookstore in Bernhard
Center.
Course Description and General Goals.
The course is designed to teach the student about behaviorally based therapeutic approaches and
techniques that have been empirically supported with children. Course content will focus on the
theoretical conceptualization of clinical problems and the conceptual rationale for selecting and
implementing behavior therapy techniques. Students will also have the opportunity to observe and
practice specific techniques with student or instructor models.
The major objectives of the class may be summarized as follows:
1) Students will be familiar with the theory, background, and basic behavioral principles on which the
techniques of behavior therapy are based.
2) Students will be familiar with and able to describe the specific techniques associated with the range
of childhood behavior disorders.
3) Students will demonstrate through in-class exercises the specific techniques discussed for the
variety of behavior problems.
4) Students will be able to design therapy plans for children with a wide range of problems.
Course Objectives—Specific Goals and Evaluation of Performance
Performance in the class will be evaluated by several means:
1) 3 Examinations (100 points each; 300 points total). These exams will be completed in class or as
take home exams (indicated on course overview) and will consist of short-answer and essay
questions. All take home exams are to be completed independently - NO COLLABORATION!!
2) 4 Behavioral Treatment Plans (25 pts each; 100 pts total). Four of the seven potential treatment
plans will be completed during the semester. The presenting problem determines the due date and
students are responsible for monitoring their own deadlines. Any treatment plan may be turned in
prior to the due date but absolutely no late papers will be accepted!!! Additional guidelines will be
distributed.
3) Therapy Guidelines - (75 pts). Each student will select a specific presenting problem and will
compile a therapy guideline book for that problem. The therapy guidelines will be distributed to
your fellow students as a tool for their future therapeutic activities. If an empirically supported
treatment exists for your problem area, your guidelines should definitely include it. Your final
product should include an APA format reference list and specific instructions for designing and
conducting therapy. Additional information will be distributed during the semester. Guidelines will
be graded on their completeness, appropriateness of reference list, clarity, and writing.
4) In-class Participation - (25 pts). I will assign a specific grade based on each student’s participation
during the course of the semester. Participation will be operationally defined as 1) actively
engaging in in-class discussions (vocal verbal behavior, please), 2) asking and answering
provocative questions, 3) actively supporting the participation of other student’s in the class. I will
provide feedback on your performance during the semester.
Course grades will be distributed as follows:
Based on 500 total points:
A=
B=
C=
D=
E=
450-500
400-449
350-399
300-349
Below 300
Course Policies:
1. Make up examinations. If you have an unavoidable emergency (medical problem, death in family,
etc.) that prevents you from taking a scheduled examination, contact me immediately PRIOR to the
exam. You will be required to take an alternative examination at the soonest possible date.
2. Academic Dishonesty. Any instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the university
administration for institutional review and consequences. Academic dishonesty includes
plagiarism, turning in an assignment for multiple classes, illegal access to schedules evaluations, or
collaboration on an individual assignment or performance evaluation. Please see the complete
section on academic dishonesty in the undergraduate and graduate catalog (also available on the
web).
3. Grade Disputes. If you have detected some error in calculation, bring it to my attention in my
office as soon as you detect it. If you disagree with some other aspect of the grading of the paper,
you must submit a written request for a re-grading of the paper based on the EXISTING content of
the paper (not what you MEANT to say). Submit the request directly to me and arrange an
appointment for detailed feedback.
4. Severe Weather Policy. If the University is closed due to severe weather, any quiz will be
cancelled and the material will be covered on the next week’s quiz (as well as the assigned readings
for the second week).
5. I reserve the right to alter the following course content schedule based on the progress of the class.
All tests will occur on the assigned dates, but the material we cover may vary.
COURSE OVERVIEW
DATE
TOPIC
Reading Assignment
Jan 8
Course Overview, Review of Syllabus,
History of Child Behavior Therapy
Key Features of Applied Behavior
Analysis
Readings handed out in class
- Peterson (1997) and
comments
Jan 15
Jan 22
NO CLASS: MLK DAY
Assessing Behavior and Treatment
Outcome: Single-Case Design and
Functional Assessment
Jan 29
Anxiety and Fear in Children
Feb 5
Exam
Feb 12
Childhood Depression
Feb 19
Oppositional Behavior and Antisocial
Behavior
Mar 5
Antisocial Behavior
Chapter 23
Kirigin et al (1982)
Blakely & Davidson
Bank et al (1991)
Behavioral
Contracting
Mar 12
Attention Problems and Academic
Problems
Chapters 4, 6
MTA Group (1999)
Dupaul & Ervin (1996)
Evans et al (1995)
Powell & Nelson (1997)
Group Contingencies
in the Classroom
Mar 19
Eating Disorders: Pediatric Feeding
disorders, Anorexia and Bulmia
Practical Skill
Chapter 1 and 2
Functional
Assessment
Chapters 8 and 19
Ollendick (1995)
Chorpita et al (1996)
Relaxation Skills
Training
Due
Phobia TX Plan
Due
Chapter 20
Chapter 24
Dujovne et al (1995)
Chapter 9,
Ducharme (2000),
Eyberg et al (1995)
Kazdin (2000)
Self-Monitoring
Parent Training
Chapter 17 & 18
Kerwin (1999) and
commentary
Others TBA
Depression Tx
Plan Due
Antisocial
Behavior Tx
Plan Due
ADHD Tx Plan
Due
Take home exam
due today
Mar 26
Pediatric Psychology: Chronic
Illness, Pain Management
Chapter 14 & 16
Carton & Schweitzer (1996)
Adherence chapter
Others TBA
Token Economy
Eating
Disorders Tx
Plan Due
Apr 2
Eneuresis and Encopresis
Habit Disorders
Sleep Problems
Chapters 11, 13, & 22
Others TBA
Habit Reversal
Therapy
Guidelines Due
Task Analysis and
Chaining
Eneuresis Tx
Plan Due
Sleep Tx plan
due
Apr 9
Apr 18
Developmental Disabilities and
Autism
Course Summary
EXAM 3*******
Watson & Sterling (1998)
Chapters 21 & 25
Ozonoff & Cathcart (1998)
Smith (1999)
Others TBA
Wednesday
12:30-2:30
Recommended Outside Readings
Kazdin, A. & Wassell, G. (2000). Therapeutic changes in children, parents, and families resulting from
treatment of children with conduct problems. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, 39, 414-420.
Watson, T. L., Bowers, W. A., & Andersen, A. E. (2000). Involuntary treatment of eating disorders.
American Journal of Psychiatry, 157, 1806-1810.
Jongsma, A. E., Peterson, L. M., & McInnis, W. P. (2000). The adolescent psychotherapy treatment
planner (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Irving, L. M. (2000). Promoting size acceptance in elementary school children: The EDAP puppet
program. Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment & Prevention, 8, 221-232.
Richards, P. S., Baldwin, B. M., Frost, H. A., Clark-Sly, J. B., Berrett, M. E., Hardman, R. K. (2000).
What works for treating eating disorders? Conclusions of 28 outcome reviews. Eating Disorders: The Journal
of Treatment & Prevention, 8, 189-206.
Park, R. J. & Goodyer, I. M. (2000). Clinical guidelines for depressive disorders in childhood and
adolescence. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 9, 147-161.
Silverthorne, P. Durrant, S. L. (2000). Custodial grandparenting of the difficult child: Learning from
the parenting literature. In B. Hayslip, R. & Goldberg-Glen (Eds) Grandparents raising grandchildren:
Theoretical, empirical, and clinical perspectives (pp. 47-63). New York: Springer Publishing.
Tynan, W. D., Schuman, W., & Lampert, N. (1999). Concurrent parent and child therapy groups for
externalizing disorders: From the laboratory to the world of managed care. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice,
6, 3-9.
Stein, D. B. (1999). Outpatient behavioral management of affressiveness in adolescents: A response
cost paradigm. Aggressive Behavior, 25, 321-330.
Powell, S., Calkins, C., Quealy-Berge, D., Bardos, A. N. (1999). Adolescent day treatment: A school
and community based alternative to residential care. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 11,
275-286.
Kazdin, A. (1977). Assessing the clinical or applied importance of behavior change through social
validation. Behavior Modification, 1, 427-451.
Miltenberger, R. G. (1990). Assessment of treatment acceptability: A review of the literature. Topics
in Early Childhood Special Education, 10, 24-38.
Hawkins, R. P. (1991). Is social validity what we are interested in? Argument for a functional
approach. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24, 205-213.
Tarnowski, K. J., Mulick, J. A., and Rasnake, L. K. (1990). Acceptability of behavioral interventions
for self-injurious behavior: Replication and inter-institutional comparison. American Journal on Mental
Retardation, 95, 182-187. **
Lloyd, J. W., and Heubusch, J. D. (1996). Issues of social validation in research on serving individuals
with emotional or behavioral disorders. Behavioral Disorders, 22, 8-14.
Rasnake, L. K., Martin, J., Tarnowski, K. J., and Mulick, J. A. (1993). Acceptability of behavioral
treatments: Influence of knowledge of behavioral principles. Mental Retardation, 4, 247-251.**
Broussard, C. D., and Northup, J. (1995). An approach to functional assessment and analysis of
disruptive behavior in regular education classrooms. School Psychology Quarterly, 10, 151-164.**
Vollmer, T. R., and Northup, J. (1996). Some implications of functional analysis for school
psychology. School Psychology Quarterly, 11, 76-92.
Iwata, B. A., Dorsey, M. F., Slifer, K. J., Bauman, K. E., and Richman, G. S. (1982/1994). Toward a
functional analysis of self-injury. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27, 197-209.**
Lennox, D. B., and Miltenberger, R. G. (1989). Conducting a functional assessment of problem
behavior in applied settings. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 14, 304-311.
Gable, R. A. (1996). A critical analysis of functional assessment: Issues for researchers and
practitioners. Behavioral Disorders, 22, 36-40.
Barrett, P. M. (1998). Evaluation of cognitive-behavioral group treatments for childhood anxiety
disorders. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 27, 459-468. **
de Costa, I. G., Rapoff, M. A., Lemanek, K., Goldstein, G. L., (1997). Improving adherence to
medication regimes for children with asthma and its effect on clinical outcome. Journal of Applied Behavior
Analysis, 30, 687-691.**
Carton, J. S., & Schweitzer, J. B. (1996). Use of a token economy to increase compliance during
hemodialysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29, 111-113.**
Fox, R. M. (1998). A comprehensive treatment program for inpatient adolescents. Behavioral
Interventions, 13, 67-77.**
Kazdin , A. E., and Bootzin, R. R. (1972). The token economy: An evaluative review. Journal of
Applied Behavior Analysis, 5, 343-372.
Swain, J. C., and McLaughlin, T. F. (1998). The effects of bonus contingencies in a classwide token
program on math accuracy with middle-school students with behavioral disorders. Behavioral Interventions,
13, 11-19.**
Cavalier, A. R., Ferretti, R. P., and Hodges, A. E. (1997). Self-management within a classroom token
economy for students with learning disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 18, 167-178.**
Kazdin, A. E. (1982). The token economy: A decade later. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 15,
431-445.
Miltenberger, R. G., Fuqua, R. W., and Woods, D. W. (1998). Applying behavior analysis to clinical
problems: Review and analysis of habit reversal. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 31, 447-469.
Sheinkopf, S. J., and Siegel, B. (1998). Home-based behavioral treatment of young children with
autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 28, 15-23. **
Gresham, F. M., and MacMillan, D. L. (1998). Early intervention project: Can its claims be
substantiated and replicated? Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 28, 5-13.
Smith, T. and Lovaas, O.I. (1997). The UCLA Young Autism Project: A reply to Gresham and
MacMillan. Behavioral Disorders, 22, 202-218.
Gresham, F., and MacMillan, D. L. (1997). Denial and defensiveness in the place of fact and reason:
Rejoinder to Smith and Lovaas. Behavioral Disorders, 22, 219-230.
Horvath, K., Stefnatos, G., Sokolski, K. N., Wachtel, R., Nabors, L., and Tildon, J. T. (1998).
Improved social and language skills after secretin administration in patients with autistic spectrum disorders.
Journal of the Association for Academic Minority Physicians, 9, 9-15. **
Pierce, K., and Schreibman, L. (1997). Multiple peer use of pivotal response training social behaviors
of classmates with autism: Results from trained and untrained peers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
30, 157-160. **
Pfiffner, L. J. and McBurnett, K. (1997). Social skills training with parent generalization: Treatment
effects for children with attention deficit disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 749-757.
**
Magee Quinn, M., Kavale, K. A., Mathur, S. R., Rutherford, R. B., Forness, S. R. (1999). A metaanalysis of social skill interventions for students with emotional or behavioral disorders. Journal of Emotional
and Behavioral Disorders, 7, 54-64. **
O’Leary & Dubey (1979). Applications of self-control procedures by children: A review. Journal of
Applied Behavior Analysis, 12, 449-465.
Beck, R., and Fernandez, E. (1998). Cognitive-behavioral self-regulation of the frequency, duration,
and intensity of anger. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 20, 217-229. **