Alexander, J. F. & Parsons, B.V.(1982). Functional Family Therapy. Monterey, CA: Brookes/Cole.

Alexander and his colleagues have developed and tested Functional Family Therapy with families of status-offending juveniles, child welfare families, and incarcerated delinquents. Recidivism and out-of-home placements were substantially reduced. The model is particularly recommended for work with moderately disturbed families in which the risk of out-of-home placement is high.

Barkley, R.A.(1981). Hyperactive children: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment. New York: Guilford Press.

In this volume, the author presents techniques for effectively applying behavior parenting principles in cases of childhood hyperactivity (attention-deficit disorder). The strategies presented can be helpful in reducing or eliminating the need for medication, while assisting the child to improve behavior and learning.

Biglan, A. (1995). Changing cultural practices: A contextualist framework for intervention research. Reno, NV: Context Press.

In this volume (which has a wealth of useful information for implementing data-based solutions to social problems and building community capacity), Biglan includes a chapter on improving childrearing practices in the United States that presents an outstanding review of the current state of research-based knowledge in this area.

Briscoe, R. V., Hoffman, D. B. & Bailey, J. S. (1975). Behavioral community psychology: Training a community board to problem solve. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 8, 157-168.

In this study, the authors discovered that explicit training for members of a community board in a small number of group problem-solving skills increased the quality of group process and of the decisions made. Prior to the training, the board was characterized by complaints, blaming, boredom, conflict and dissatisfaction. The amount of training time required to achieve a socially valid level of change was modest.

Crandall, J., Jacobson, J., & Sloane, H. (Eds).(1997). What works in Education. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies (Reprinted in Behavior and Social Issues, 1997, volume 7).

This special issue of the journal Behavior and Social Issues, also available as a monograph from the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies titled "What Works in Education" describes and presents outcome data for a number of data based educational approaches which are demonstrably more effective than many "innovations" in education that are being widely used, and typically produce educational advances very quickly even with very educationally disadvantaged populations.

Damico, M. (1992). Incentives in our schools. B&IS: Business & Incentive Strategies, 51, 4-18.

This article summarizes a number of studies in which incentive arrangements have been helpful in preventing absenteeism and promoting achievement in schools. Given the crucial importance of education for success, and the severe problems with drop-outs experienced in many poverty areas, such arrangements may be one valuable piece of an overall strategy in which youth are exposed to positive educational environments and educational strategies designed for success (see Crandall et al., above). Incentives have also been shown to be useful for keeping young teen mothers on welfare in school, while coercive and punitive strategies have not (see Mattaini & Magnabosco, below).

Dangel, R., & Polster, R. (Eds.).(1984). Parent training. New York: Guilford.

This volume includes contributions by many of the foremost experts in parent education, including Robert McMahon, Rex Forehand, Ed Christopherson, Wahler and Dumas, Montrose Wolf, Karen Budd, Sid Bijou, Israel Goldiamond, and Don Baer.

Daniels, A. C. (1994). Bringing out the best in people. New York: McGraw-Hill.

This book describes and provides specific guidance for effective application of reinforcement-based strategies for concurrently enhancing working conditions and improving organizational outcomes. Based on extensive work in applied settings, the volume provides both the rationale for these approaches, and specific tools for operationalizing them.

Embry, D. D., Flannery, D.J., Vazsonyi, A. T., Powell, K. E., & Atha, H. (1996). Peacebuilders: A theoretically driven, school-based model for early violence prevention. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 12,91-100.

This article describes the "Peacebuilders (TM)" program for building cultures of nonviolence in elementary schools and communities. The approach, if well applied, appears to have the potential to reduce the rate of violent acts among young people by half or more.

Ervin, R. A., Miller, P. M., & Friman, P. C. (1996). Feed the hungry bee Using positive peer reports to improve the social interactions and acceptance of a socially rejected girl in residential care. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29, 251-253.

In this simple but creative study, the authors prompted and reinforced peers for recognizing positive actions on the part of a socially rejected peer (and two others). As a result, the target child increased her level of appropriate behavior, and her level of acceptance by peers also increased. Similar approaches may be of valued for many rejected, and therefore potentially high-risk children.

Evans, I.M. & Matthews, A. K.(1992). A behavioral approach to the prevention of school dropout: Conceptual and empirical strategies for children and youth. In M. Hersen, R.M. Eisler, & P. M. Miller (Eds.), Progress in Behavior Modification, 28, 219-248.

The authors of this chapter examine the relationships between school dropouts and psychiatric and psychosocial problems, and review behavioral interventions for dropout prevention, including percision teaching, teaching machines, curriculum based assessment, and classroom management techniques.

Faw, G. D., Davis, P.K., & Peck, C. (1996). Increasing self-determination Teaching people with mental retardation to evaluate residential options. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29, 173-188.

In this study, the authors collected information about the preferences of developmentally disabled clients regarding quality of life (e.g., smoking or non-smoking facitilities, single or double rooms, etc.), and then assisted them to use their preferences in evaluating placement options. The general approach, with creative adaptation, may be of use with many populations.

Fawcett, S. B., et al. (Task Force on Public Policy)(1988). Behavior Analysis and Public Policy. The Behavior Analyst, 11, 11-25.

This paper provides guidance for behavior analysts who wish to contribute effectively to the political process as "scientist-advocates," describes the several points in the policy process where such advocacy may be particularly effective, and outlines the components of a politically-effective behavioral and cultural analyses of important social issues.

Fawcett, S. B., Seekins, T., & Silber, L. (1988). Low-income voter registration: A small-scale evaluation of an agency-based registration strategy. American Journal of Community Psychology, 16, 751-758.

This study indicates that by providing relatively easy access and prompts for voter registration, it is possible to increase registration levels among the poor by 100%, and that a large proportion of those individuals subsequently vote. The approach used may have wide applicability in human service settings, and may increase the voice and therefore power of the formerly disenfranchised.

Festinger, D. S., Lamb, R. J., Kirby, K., C., Marlowe, D. B. (1996). The accelerated intake: A method for increasing initial attendance to outpatient cocaine treatment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29, 387-389.

The authors of this study found that offering immediate (same day or within 24 hours) intake appointments nearly doubled the "show" rate (those who appeared for intake) at a drug abuse clinic; retention was the same once clients appeared for intake. Providing services in ways that are responsive to client need (as opposed to provider convenience) may result in better outcomes for clients, but also for the broader social collective affected by social issues like drug abuse.

Fox, D. K., Hopkins, B. L., & Anger, W. K. (1987). The long-term effects of a token economy on safety performance in open-pit mining. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 20, 215-224.

This study demonstrates that providing relatively small incentives to groups of workers for periods without accidents can have a dramatic effect on rates of accidents. Incentives for making safety-related suggestions were also provided. The results of the program were dramatic decreases in injuries, numbers of days lost, and costs. Many persons in high-risk jobs are members of lower socioeconomic and other disadvantaged groups, and such arrangements in which their safety is treated as important could make a useful contribution. Incentives for supervisory-level personnel might leverage these results even further.

Geller, E. S. (1990). Behavior analysis and environmental protection: Where have all the flowers gone? Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 23, 269-271.

In this editorial, Geller reviews the failure of behavioral scientists to adequately market the extensive research with applicability to environmental and other social issues, and provides suggestions for moving ahead.

Greenwood, C.R., Hops, H. & Walker,H. M.(1977). The program for academic survival skills: Effects on Behavior and achievement. Journal of School Psychology, 15, 25-35.

The PASS Program or the Program for Academic Survival Skills uses preferred classroom games as reinforcers for rule following. This program has been extensively researched and has demonstrated significant gains in reading, math, and classroom survival skills for children in the program on standard acheivement scores as compared to control-group cohorts. See also the following reference:

Greenwood, C. R., Hops, H., Walker, H. M., Guild, J. J., Stokes, J., & Young, R.(1979). Standardized classroom management program: Social validation and replication studies in Utah and Oregon. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 12, 235-254.

(See description of PASS program in preceding reference)

Hayes, S. C., & Cone, J. D. (1981). Reduction of residential consumption of electricity through simple monthly feedback. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 14, 81-88.

This paper describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of a feedback system designed to reduce electricity usage. The general approach, which relies on providing information in accessible ways without affecting other contingencies directly, may be applicable to many social issues in which the behavior of large numbers of persons participates in producing aggregate outcomes.

Hembree-Kigin, T.L.& McNeil, C.(1995). Parent child interaction therapy. New York: Plenum Press.

In this volume, written for professionals, the authors present effective strategies for working with families in which parent-child relations are the focus of work.

Henggeler, S. W., Schoenwald, S. K., Borduin, C. M., Rowland, M. D., & Cunningham, P. B. (1998). Multisystemic treatment of antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. New York: Guilford.

This book presents, in detail, a model for intervention with antisocial behavior that is demonstrably more effective, and less expensive, than traditional correctional methods, reducing recidivism by over half compared with standard interventions, as well as reducing the severity of offenses. This treatment manual provides detailed principles and examples, and clarifies the minimum requirements for maintaining treatment integrity.

Herndon, E. J., & Mikulas, W. L. (1996). Using reinforcement-based methods to enhance membership recruitment in a volunteer organization. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29, 577-580.

The authors discuss the marked success of a recruitment drive in which volunteers received recognition and other reinforcers for recruiting new members to a chamber of commerce. Given the low cost of the methods used, the basic technology is likely to be useful to a wide range of organizations for which membership is important.

Hops, H., Walker, H.M., Fleischman, D., Nagoshi, J., Omura, R., Skindrud, K. & Taylor, J.(1978). CLASS: A standardized in-class program for acting-out children. Eleven field tests evaluations. Journal of Educational Psychology, 70, 636-644.

Contingencies for Learning Academic and Social Skills (CLASS) uses a variety of classroom management techniques to shape on task and instruction following behavior in children. The model has been extensively researched and has shown that three years after the tangibles are faded to social praise gains are still noticable on children's behavior patterns in the school setting.

Jackson, N. C. & Mathews, R. M. (1995). Using public feedback to increase contributions to a multipurpose senior center. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28, 449-455.

In this study, the authors found that posting feedback signs indicating the amount of money recently donated to a senior center at the point at which the donation could occur (the cashier's line), increased the level of contributions over that achieved when there were only prompts regarding the possibility. These findings are consistent with others suggesting the importance of feedback on affecting the incidence of prosocial social actions.

Jacobs, H. E., Bailey, J. S., & Crews, J. I. (1984). Development and analysis of a community-based resource recovery program. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 17, 127-145.

In this study, a number of small manipulations made substantial differences in the extent of participation in neighborhood recycling. Among these were picking up material for recycling on regular garbage collection days, providing special stickers on the mailboxes of participating homes, providing inexpensive recycling containers, and other procedures, which in combination could produce increases in participation of up to 300%. Small changes in procedures can produce large differences (positive or negative) in outcomes, so careful examination and conceptual analysis of individual procedures and their combinations can be crucial for maximizing results while minimizing costs.

Jacobs, H. E., Fairbanks, D., Poche, C. E., & Bailey, J. S. (1982). Multiple incentives in encouraging car pool formation on a university campus. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 15, 141-149.

The authors found that availability of slightly more convenient parking and certain other forms of incentives made a meaningful difference in the formation of new car pools. With some creativity, similar arrangements might be valuable for increasing the incidence of many environmentally-friendly cultural practices--in fact, procedures that may operationalize those principles are already in place in many parts of the country; further analysis might help to optimize the results. Noteworthy in this study is the recognition that it can make a socially significant difference even if not every person changes what they do on every occasion; a difference in incidence and prevalence rates is the major concern.

Johnson, A. K., & Cnaan, R. A. (1995). Social work practice with homeless persons: State of the art. Research on Social Work Practice, 5, 340-382.

In this article, Johnson and Cnaan review what is known about homelessness: etiology, epidemiology, social costs, needs, demographic and other factors. The article examines what is known about effective models of intervention, and presents specific recommendations drawn from the data for persons working from a "scholar/advocate" model.

Jones, R. J., & Azrin, N. H. (1973). An experimental application of a social reinforcement approach to the problem of job-finding. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 6, 345-353.

Two-thirds of job leads come from the "informal system"--friends and family who know of possible openings. Persons with few contacts in that system (e.g., those who have been out of the labor force doing child-care, those who have been incarcerated, or those who live in areas in which employment is less common) are at a disadvantage under those circumstances. The authors found that offering financial incentives to the public to report job openings that resulted in placement produced substantially more job placements than using employment agencies and other standard services, at about 20% of the cost. Such strategies may be particularly important during a time when many persons are losing public benefits without a clear track to employment. If combined with "job-finding clubs" (N. H. Azrin, T. Flores, & S. J. Kaplan, 1975, Behaviour Research & Therapy, 13, 17-28), a technology that may be of significant utility could emerge.

Keller, J. J. (1991). The recycling solution: How I increased recycling on Dilworth Road. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24, 617-620.

This published article written by an eight-year-old who tested a simple, personalized approach to increasing neighborhood recycling clarifies that extensive technology and major resources are not always required to produce local change that in the aggregate may have global implications.

Mattaini, M. A. (1996). Envisioning cultural practices. The Behavior Analyst, 19, 257-272.

In this paper, the author clarifies the systemic interlocks that must be designed to stabilize a cultural practice, for example, the establishment and maintenance of a voter registration effort within an organizational culture. The analytic framework and tools described may be useful for a variety of social justice related projects.

Mattaini, M. A., & Magnabosco, J. L. (1997). Reworking welfare: Untangling the web. In P. A. Lamal (Ed.), Cultural contingencies: Behavior analytic perspectives on cultural practices (pp. 151-167). Westport, CT: Praeger.

This chapter, based on reviews of existing studies and a conceptual analysis as discussed by Fawcett et al., above, sketches necessary contingencies and metacontingencies that appear to be required to implement welfare reform in a way that could concurrently (a) protect poor children, (b) encourage self-sufficiency among their parents, and (c) save society money over the long term.

Mayer, G. R., & Butterworth, T. W. (1979). A preventive approach to school violence and vandalism: An experimental study. Personnel and Guidance Journal, May, 1979, 436-441.

In this project, which relied on addressing level of academic materials, high levels of recognition and reinforcement for academic work, reducing the use of punishment, and the use of behavioral problem-solving skills, vandalism costs in the experimental schools were one-seventh those in similar schools not receiving the intervention, there were significantly fewer disruptions, students were on-task significantly more, and teachers used more reinforcement. Since this project relied on a relatively low-cost, low-intensity intervention, the results are impressive.

Mayer, G. R., Butterworth, T., Nafpaktitis, M., & Sulzer-Azaroff, B. (1983). Preventing school vandalism and improving discipline: A three-year study. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 16, 355-369.

In this replication and extension of Mayer & Butterworth (above), similar results were found, including a 78% reduction in vandalism costs, increases in appropriate teacher behavior that generalized to other, untrained teachers in the school (a positive contagion effect), student off-task behavior decreased significantly, positive teacher student contacts increased significantly, and fewer discipline problems were reported. The intervention actually saved money, due to the reduction in vandalism costs, and of course improved the academic climate for everyone in the schools. The program is one that clearly can be adapted to many local school situations.

Miller, L. K., & Miller, O.L. (1970). Reinforcing self-help group activities of welfare recipients. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 3, 57-64.

This article describes an effective approach, involving providing clear incentives, for increasing attendance and participation in self-help groups among poverty populations. This study is significant, because may persons are hesitant to attend such groups based on vague promises of utility, but in fact find them very useful once they are attending (a repertoire that at least in some cases appears to subsequently generalize to other organizations).

Patterson, G. (1982). Coercive family process. Eugene, OR: Castilia.

Patterson reviews the results of an extensive program of research exploring the development and negative outcomes of coercive exchanges as they develop, particularly in families that include aggressive children. These data have extensive implications for changing practices in families, shifting toward constructive reinforcement arrangements, and away from reliance on aversives.

Patterson, G. (1975). Families. Champaign, IL: Research Press.

A simple, applied volume written for parents that outlines the basic principles of behavioral parenting. Although it is a small volume, it does an outstanding job of presenting the material in ways that parents can easily apply. Patterson also published the book "Living with Children" (same publisher, 1976), which is pitched at an even simpler reading level, and covers the core principles well.

Quigley, P., Morris, L., & Hammett, G.(1976). The Choctaw Home-Center Family Education Demonstration Project. Tucson, AZ: Behavior Associates.

The Choctaw Home-Centered Family Education Project, was a fore-runner for many of our current home based programs. This program was designed for mothers or gaurdians of children in poverty in a rural indian reservation. The idea was to cognitively stimulate children during early development, from birth to the age of four. Instructional home visit(s) were the principle method used to deliver services. Interaction between the parent and the child was the main focus. Home visitors instructed families in behavior management, child development, and language stimulation.

Sanford, F. L., & Fawcett, S. B. (1980). Consequence analysis: Its effects on verbal statements about an environmental project. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 13, 57-64.

This article describes an approach that appears to lead to more thoughtful consideration by citizens of the multiple outcomes of policy decisions. A major apparent advantage of the approach is that it can lead to opinions that are more tightly grounded in real-world contingencies, without requiring manipulation or potentially misleading "propagandizing."

Sidman, M. (1989). Coercion and its fallout. Boston: Authors Cooperative.

In this data-based book, Sidman traces the multiple problematic consequences produced by threats, punishment, exploitation (providing short-term positive consequences for behavior that will produce long-term aversives for the person involved) in the exercise of social control. He also explores the reasons why those strategies are very widespread in society, from the micro-cultural level of the family, to organizational cultures, to larger sociocultural arrangements. Finally, he sketches the contours of alternative arrangements relying on appropriate incentive arrangements.

Skinner, B. F., & Vaughan, M. E. (1983). Enjoy old age. New York: Norton.

In this book, written for older persons themselves as well as those who may have caregiving responsibilities, the authors provide a wealth of information related to maintaining a rewarding, intellectually stimulating, healthy, and socially useful life into the later years, drawing on self-management techniques.

Sloane, H.N. (1988). The good kid book. Champaign, IL: Research Press.

This volume, written for parents, provides a wealth of simple, practical tools for parents dealing with common parenting issues (e.g., noncompliance, bedtime problems, fighting, etc.) and includes an outstanding chapter on communicating with older children.

Thyer, B. A. (1996). Behavior analysis and social welfare policy. In M. A. Mattaini & B. A. Thyer (Eds.), Finding solutions to social problems: Behavioral strategies for change (pp. 41-60). Washington, DC: APA Books.

Thyer discusses how seldom policy decisions are based on available data, and presents an alternative approach that relies on (often modest) experiments to explore the differential aggregate outcomes of policy options.

Van Houten, R., Nau, P. A., & Marini, Z. (1980). An analysis of public posting in reducing speeding behavior on an urban highway. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 13, 383-395.

As with the Hayes & Cone article discussed above, this study indicates that providing information about aggregate behavior among a large group of people (in this case related to automotive speeding) can produce changes in those behaviors that may be significant enough to produce a socially valid change in overall social outcomes.

Webster-Stratton, C. (1992). The incredible years. Toronto: Umbrella Press.

This book, written for parents and those who work with them, presents the state-of -the-art in parenting, drawing on decades of important research in the area.

Wolfe, D. A. (1991).. Preventing physical and emotional abuse of children. New York: Guilford.

This volume provides an outstanding review of current work with families at risk of child abuse, including summaries of the author's own extensive research in the area.