Biobehavioral State and Orienting: Implications for Educating Profoundly Retarded Students

Teaching Persons With Profound Multiple Handicaps: A Review of the Effects of Behavioral Research

“…An additional area of research that we support is similar to that currently referred to as biobehavioral state research (Guess et al, 1988;Rainforth, 1982). Briefly, the components of this research we believe warrant attention are the evaluation of observable changes in alertness of persons with profound multiple handicaps and analysis of how responsiveness to training might vary as a function of existing alertness level.…”

“…The most common descriptor used with standardized quantification is profound mental retardation (Grossman, 1983). However, profound mental retardation as a diagnostic dassification includes a very heterogeneous group of persons with a wide range of skills and disabilities (Bailey, 1981;Rainforth, 1982). Our concern is with those persons whose handicaps are so debilitating that they fall at the extreme lower end of the continuum of profound mental retardation and who also possess profound physical impairments, such that no existing standardized intelligence tests are applicable (cf.…”

“…However, although the overall impact of applied behavioral research in this area has been quite significant, there is one population of persons with developmental disabilities for whom the impact has not been dear. Specifically, the utility of behavioral procedures for affecting adaptive behavior change among individuals who have profound mental and physical handicaps has been seriously questioned (Landesman-Dwyer & Sackett, 1978; Rainforth, 1982). The degree to which be- (Ulicny, Thompson, Favell, & Thompson, 1985).…”

Analyzing Alertness Among People With Profound Multiple Disabilities: Implications for Provision of Training

“…Our experience suggests that trainers frequently withhold training when students appear to be nonalert, based on the premise that students will respond to training only when they are alert. Such a practice coincides with the view that changes in alertness may reflect alterations in biobehavioral states similar to those reported among nondisabled infants (Guess et al, 1988), and certain states may prevent an individual from responding to environmental stimuli (Rainforth, 1982). However, the relation between alertness levels and possible biobehavioral states remains undear Rainforth, 1982), and little objective information is available for determining whether it is beneficial to withhold training when students appear to be nonalert.…”

“…Such a practice coincides with the view that changes in alertness may reflect alterations in biobehavioral states similar to those reported among nondisabled infants (Guess et al, 1988), and certain states may prevent an individual from responding to environmental stimuli (Rainforth, 1982). However, the relation between alertness levels and possible biobehavioral states remains undear Rainforth, 1982), and little objective information is available for determining whether it is beneficial to withhold training when students appear to be nonalert. 519 19941 279,[519][520][521][522][523][524][525][526][527][528][529][530][531] NUMBER 3 (FAu 1994) The purpose of this investigation was to assess the relation between observable alertness levels among people with profound multiple disabilities and their subsequent responsiveness to training programs.…”