Impact of treatment efficacy and professional affiliation on ratings of treatment acceptability.
Vignette methodology was used to assess factors associated with decisions regarding the acceptability of behavior modification programs. Members (N = 198) of the American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) reviewed two vignettes describing proposed treatment plans for individuals who were either aggressive or self-injurious. Nine descriptor variables were nested within each vignette; no two vignettes were exactly the same. The strongest predictor of treatment acceptability was the respondents' own estimates of probable treatment success. Secondary predictors included the restrictiveness of the proposed procedure and whether other procedures had been previously tried. Members of the AAMR Psychology Division tended to be slightly more accepting of behavioral treatments than were members of other divisions.
Spreat
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Woodland Center for Challenging Behaviors Woods Services, Inc., Langhorne, PA 19047.
Walsh
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001348:Aversive Therapy; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D009935:Organizational Affiliation; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012931:Social Environment; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome