Previous (mainly classical) conditioning and current (mainly operant) approaches to the treatment of gambling addictions are reviewed in the light of recent evidence of the central importance of heightened arousal in the experience of normal gambling. Within a general framework which views the central features of addiction as the phenomenology of arousal and the acquisition of altered states of consciousness as goals, the possible contributions of reversal theory are explored. A more detailed examination of operant and classical conditioning analyses of the maintenance and reinstatement of excessive gambling behaviour appears to point towards a return to interventions based upon classical conditioning theory, although to cue exposure and the extinction of “peak experiences” rather than to aversion therapy.

An advice booklet was developed and evaluated over three studies of diminishing clinical contact. Study 1 (n = 5) utilized full support through clinic sessions and telephone contact. During study 2 (n = 5) therapists maintained reduced contact with families, while minimal therapist support or contact was employed in study 3 (n = 10). A multliple baseline design across families was used to evaluate studies 1 and 2. Additionally all phases were evaluated using a consumer satisfaction measure. Overall the results suggest that the booklet was moderately successful in reducing nighttime behaviour problems. While parents could use the booklet on a self administered basis, some families may require additional clinical support to succeed with effective management of their child's nighttime behaviour problems. The research findings point to the need for specific advice packages for use by parents in the management of simple problems evinced by their children.

The term “needs assessment” has been used previously to describe a variety of concepts relating to the relationships between service provision and users/consumers. Different meanings have been attached according to the means by which service agents have attempted to identify relevant services; limitations have been observed in needs assessments that have tried to define the need for change solely within individuals. An effort is made to extend the scope and range of such needs assessments beyond a consideration of the individual consumer and to enable assessors to make concurrent statements relating to the behaviour of both workers and service systems. An attempt is made to locate behaviourally-based work within an understanding of human need.

Forty-eight children from grades 3 to 6 of two inner city primary schools were selected on the basis of poor performance on a social perception test. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: social perception training (SPT); attention placebo control (APC; drama activities) or a no treatment control (NTC; assessment only). The SPT and APC groups participated in nine twice weekly sessions over a five week period. Children receiving SPT did not show a significantly greater improvement in social perception skills than either of the control conditions. There was also no significant effect of SPT on certain measures of behavioral functioning which have previously been associated with social perception skill, namely peer sociometric status, Walker Problem Behaviour Checklist or Childrens' Depression Inventory. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for future research.

Four developmentally handicapped (autistic) boys in a treatment centre for behavior disordered children were taught to perform coloring and block-assembly play responses within a discrete trial format training paradigm. Two training strategies that differed with respect to antecedent cueing methods were examined. Specifically, a “naturalistic” cueing procedure, involving the simple presentation of play materials to set play in motion, was compared to the more conventional approach of giving verbal instructions to instigate play responses. Generalization across comparable play “tasks” with only naturalistic cueing was probed. Findings indicated that, with all participants, where the antecedent cues for training matched those found in the generalization condition, there was substantially more carry-over. Suggestions for future remedial practice based upon antecedent control factors are offered.

An audio-tape technique was used in the treatment of a 35-year-old male with a 13 year history of obsessional rituals and ruminations. His rituals responded to exposure and self-imposed response prevention but the ruminations remained as before.

The audio-tape treatment, which involved him listening to his own voice reciting his ruminative content, resulted in a rapid and substantial reduction in frequency of ruminations and this was maintained to one month follow-up.

The clinical and theoretical implications of this treatment approach are discussed.