Stephen E. Wong, Ph.D. has worked as a program director and researcher in psychiatric hospitals and residential treatment centers in California, New Mexico, Texas, and Florida. Prior to joining the faculty of the School of Social Work at Florida International University, he worked as Assistant Professor in the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago and consultant for the Illinois Department of Children and Families. He has conducted numerous empirical studies using applied behavior analysis, behavior therapy, and single-case experimental designs to teach social and independent living skills to persons with severe and persistent mental disorders. In recent years, Dr. Wong’s research interests have broadened to include the study of ideological, political, and economic forces shaping mental health services.
Residential Treatment for Children & Youth, Jun 8, 2008
Summary Official state program reviews of 204 substitute care facilities were assessed for the ty... more Summary Official state program reviews of 204 substitute care facilities were assessed for the types of behavior management and behavioral interventions used and the extent to which agency practices were consistent with learning theory principles. Data were also collected on the type and number of professional staff available to implement and oversee these procedures, Results showed that a sizable portion of the agencies used restrictive procedures (e.g. “timeout") for response reduction purposes, but without incorporating positive reinforcement programs (e.g., token or point systems, contingent privileges) that would make the application of these procedures humane and therapeutically effective. Program reviews also indicated that relatively small numbers of professionally trained staff were available on‐site to supervise the use of behavior management procedures and behavioral interventions.
This study examined antisocial behavior and consumer satisfaction of 29 adolescents in a long-ter... more This study examined antisocial behavior and consumer satisfaction of 29 adolescents in a long-term psychiatric unit with a modified Achievement Place program. Unit staff recorded the daily frequency of 27 inappropriate behaviors exhibited by individual clients. Time-series data on specific problem behaviors were analyzed with change scores and graphic displays. Prior to discharge, clients also completed questionnaires that rated the helpfulness of program components. Change scores for severe behavior problems gradually declined to near zero levels for almost all clients. Scores for moderate and minor problem behaviors showed smaller declines, which were offset by concomitant increases within this same category. Off-unit activities and point store, individual and group therapy, and behavior reduction procedures received the highest, intermediate, and lowest ratings, respectively. Data indicate that long-term treatment within a structured behavioral program may be associated with substantial improvements in serious conduct problems, and that this intervention is generally acceptable to clients.
Staff in 12 group homes for mentally retarded persons were randomly assigned to either an experim... more Staff in 12 group homes for mentally retarded persons were randomly assigned to either an experimental condition (N = 6), receiving eight 1.5-hour training sessions in behavior modification, or a waiting-list control condition (N = 6). Pre- to posttraining change scores showed that, compared to control home staff, experimental home staff increased significantly more in knowledge of behavioral techniques, had better evaluations of their residents, and indicated less decline in job satisfaction. Naturalistic observational data, collected with continuous real-time recording devices, showed trained staff superior in correctness and latency of their responses to residents. Trained homes also had significantly greater increases in the frequency and duration of positive staff and resident behavior.
... The following pages contain brief treatment plans covering the following problem or skill are... more ... The following pages contain brief treatment plans covering the following problem or skill areas:Delusional verbalizations Oppositional behavior Bizarre stereotypic behavior Social (conversational) skills Grooming and hygiene Prevocational skills Community/independent ...
Objective: The authors examined outcomes of a graduate course on evaluating social work practice ... more Objective: The authors examined outcomes of a graduate course on evaluating social work practice that required students to use published research, quantitative measures, and single-system designs in a simulated practice evaluation project. Method: Practice evaluation projects from a typical class were analyzed for the number of research references cited, type of client, goals or problems, measures, interventions, single-system designs, and outcomes. Results: More than half of the students conducted self-improvement projects monitored with self-report measures, and goals or problems selected and interventions applied varied widely. More than 80% of the projects were evaluated with simple AB designs, over 45% of which were associated with statistically significant improvements and an additional 43% showed gains that did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Results suggest that students can be taught techniques and skills needed to formulate interventions derived from published research and to evaluate effects of these interventions using single-system designs.
Residential Treatment for Children & Youth, Jun 8, 2008
Summary Official state program reviews of 204 substitute care facilities were assessed for the ty... more Summary Official state program reviews of 204 substitute care facilities were assessed for the types of behavior management and behavioral interventions used and the extent to which agency practices were consistent with learning theory principles. Data were also collected on the type and number of professional staff available to implement and oversee these procedures, Results showed that a sizable portion of the agencies used restrictive procedures (e.g. “timeout") for response reduction purposes, but without incorporating positive reinforcement programs (e.g., token or point systems, contingent privileges) that would make the application of these procedures humane and therapeutically effective. Program reviews also indicated that relatively small numbers of professionally trained staff were available on‐site to supervise the use of behavior management procedures and behavioral interventions.
This study examined antisocial behavior and consumer satisfaction of 29 adolescents in a long-ter... more This study examined antisocial behavior and consumer satisfaction of 29 adolescents in a long-term psychiatric unit with a modified Achievement Place program. Unit staff recorded the daily frequency of 27 inappropriate behaviors exhibited by individual clients. Time-series data on specific problem behaviors were analyzed with change scores and graphic displays. Prior to discharge, clients also completed questionnaires that rated the helpfulness of program components. Change scores for severe behavior problems gradually declined to near zero levels for almost all clients. Scores for moderate and minor problem behaviors showed smaller declines, which were offset by concomitant increases within this same category. Off-unit activities and point store, individual and group therapy, and behavior reduction procedures received the highest, intermediate, and lowest ratings, respectively. Data indicate that long-term treatment within a structured behavioral program may be associated with substantial improvements in serious conduct problems, and that this intervention is generally acceptable to clients.
Staff in 12 group homes for mentally retarded persons were randomly assigned to either an experim... more Staff in 12 group homes for mentally retarded persons were randomly assigned to either an experimental condition (N = 6), receiving eight 1.5-hour training sessions in behavior modification, or a waiting-list control condition (N = 6). Pre- to posttraining change scores showed that, compared to control home staff, experimental home staff increased significantly more in knowledge of behavioral techniques, had better evaluations of their residents, and indicated less decline in job satisfaction. Naturalistic observational data, collected with continuous real-time recording devices, showed trained staff superior in correctness and latency of their responses to residents. Trained homes also had significantly greater increases in the frequency and duration of positive staff and resident behavior.
... The following pages contain brief treatment plans covering the following problem or skill are... more ... The following pages contain brief treatment plans covering the following problem or skill areas:Delusional verbalizations Oppositional behavior Bizarre stereotypic behavior Social (conversational) skills Grooming and hygiene Prevocational skills Community/independent ...
Objective: The authors examined outcomes of a graduate course on evaluating social work practice ... more Objective: The authors examined outcomes of a graduate course on evaluating social work practice that required students to use published research, quantitative measures, and single-system designs in a simulated practice evaluation project. Method: Practice evaluation projects from a typical class were analyzed for the number of research references cited, type of client, goals or problems, measures, interventions, single-system designs, and outcomes. Results: More than half of the students conducted self-improvement projects monitored with self-report measures, and goals or problems selected and interventions applied varied widely. More than 80% of the projects were evaluated with simple AB designs, over 45% of which were associated with statistically significant improvements and an additional 43% showed gains that did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Results suggest that students can be taught techniques and skills needed to formulate interventions derived from published research and to evaluate effects of these interventions using single-system designs.
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