We investigated the role of predictable versus unpredictable supervision on the independent task responding of three autistic children. In a predictable supervision condition, the therapist was present in the setting for a regular period of time and then was absent for the remainder of the session. In an unpredictable supervision condition, the therapist's presence was scheduled on a random, intermittent, and unpredictable basis throughout the session. The multiple baseline analysis showed that the unpredictable supervision produced much higher levels of on-task responding during the therapist's absence for all three children. Analysis of work completed during the therapist's absence also favored the unpredictable supervision condition. The results are discussed in relation to the literature on generalization and educational practice.
To facilitate the classroom and workshop integration of three autistic clients, we examined the feasibility of teaching them to respond appropriately without the continual presence of specially trained treatment providers. Within a multiple baseline design, a 4-step treatment process was implemented to promote durable responsive performance. Results indicated that the therapist could be removed from the treatment environment and that appropriate behavior could be successfully maintained in community settings with only infrequent and delayed contingencies.
This article reports the results of a national study of social workers in the United States sanctioned by their state regulatory boards (N = 2,607) during the period [2000][2001][2002][2003][2004][2005][2006][2007][2008][2009]. The purpose of this study was to identify the most frequent types of unprofessional conduct and common sanctioning patterns across state licensing boards. The highest incidences were found for unprofessional conduct including licensing-related problems (e.g., continuing education, working on a lapsed license); dual relationships; crimes; basic practice (e.g., record keeping, informed consent, and confidentiality); professionals practicing while impaired (e.g., alcohol, drugs, mental illness); and services below the standards of care. Revocation and license surrender were the most frequent types of sanctions followed by suspensions, letters of warning, or admonishment. Relevancies to education, training, and supervision are made and directions for future research are suggested.Discussions about social work practice standards and risk management are incomplete unless they include information about the reasons that social workers are sanctioned by regulatory boards, which is vital to identifying practice-related challenges. Discussion regarding unprofessional behaviors of social workers and sanctioning patterns of state regulatory boards can serve to enrich and improve the educating and training of social workers, supervisors, and administrators. Practicerelated risk assessments are incomplete if research about ethics, malpractice, and licensing sanctions is not considered. In this article we review previous reports concerning regulation and sanctioning patterns in social work. Then research protocols and results from a national study examining a decade of sanctions against social workers are presented. Directions for future research are also discussed.
LITERATURE REVIEWThe first social work licensing laws were passed in Puerto Rico in 1934, followed by California in 1945. By 1979, more than 20 jurisdictions (e.g., states) had some form of minimal regulation standards for the social work profession in place, although budgets were often insufficient to meet
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.