Assessing indices of happiness and unhappiness in individuals with developmental disabilities: a review

Department of Psychology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USAThe behavioral deficits of individuals with profound multiple disabilities (PMD) make it difficult toassess their satisfaction and quality of life. To address this problem, researchers have recently evaluatedaffective behavior (i.e., indices of happiness and unhappiness) to document the effects of therapeuticinterventionsandtoassistwithclinicallyrelevantdecisions.Wereviewtherecentliteratureonindicesofhappiness and unhappiness and discuss its major themes. In addition, potential concerns with thistechnology are discussed and clinical recommendations are provided. Copyright # 2007 John Wiley &Sons, Ltd.

[1]  Nirbhay N. Singh,et al.  Mindful caregiving increases happiness among individuals with profound multiple disabilities. , 2004, Research in developmental disabilities.

[2]  B. Iwata,et al.  Assessment of stimulus preference and reinforcer value with profoundly retarded individuals. , 1985, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[3]  D. Reid,et al.  Identifying reinforcers for persons with profound handicaps: staff opinion versus systematic assessment of preferences. , 1988, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[4]  D. Reid,et al.  Teaching persons with profound multiple handicaps: a review of the effects of behavioral research. , 1991, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[5]  D. Reid,et al.  A Behavioral Approach to Identifying Sources of Happiness and Unhappiness among Individuals with Profound Multiple Disabilities , 1999, Behavior modification.

[6]  J. Blacher.  Attachment and Severely Handicapped Children: Implications for Intervention , 1984, Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP.

[7]  D. Wacker,et al.  Evaluation of reinforcer preferences for profoundly handicapped students. , 1985, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[8]  D. Wacker,et al.  Training students with profound or multiple handicaps to make requests via microswitches. , 1988, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[9]  D. Reid,et al.  A comprehensive evaluation of reinforcer identification processes for persons with profound multiple handicaps. , 1991, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.

[10]  D. Reid,et al.  Reducing indices of unhappiness among individuals with profound multiple disabilities during therapeutic exercise routines. , 1999, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[11]  W. Fisher,et al.  Decreasing signs of negative affect and correlated self-injury in an individual with mental retardation and mood disturbances. , 1999, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[12]  Nirbhay N. Singh,et al.  Wheelchair-Bound Persons with Multiple Disabilities Learning to Use Simple Foot–Leg Responses Within a Microswitch-Based Program , 2005 .

[13]  R. Schillace.  DEVELOPMENTAL COMPARISONS OF MENTALLY RETARDED AND NEUROTIC CHILDREN. , 1964, American journal of mental deficiency.

[14]  Nirbhay N. Singh,et al.  A microswitch program to foster simple foot and leg movements in adult wheelchair users with multiple disabilities , 2004, Cognitive behaviour therapy.

[15]  R. Rehfeldt,et al.  Increasing the happiness of individuals with profound multiple disabilities: replication and extension. , 2004, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[16]  Nirbhay N. Singh,et al.  Impact of favorite stimuli automatically delivered on step responses of persons with multiple disabilities during their use of walker devices. , 2005, Research in developmental disabilities.

[17]  D. Reid,et al.  An enriched teaching program for reducing resistance and indices of unhappiness among individuals with profound multiple disabilities. , 2005, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[18]  M. Wolf,et al.  Social validity: the case for subjective measurement or how applied behavior analysis is finding its heart. , 1978, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[19]  Toby L. Martin,et al.  Happiness Indices among Persons with Profound and Severe Disabilities during Leisure and Work Activities: A Comparison. , 2002 .

[20]  Nirbhay N. Singh,et al.  Assessing the effects of automatically delivered stimulation on the use of simple exercise tools by students with multiple disabilities. , 2003, Research in developmental disabilities.

[21]  J. Bailey.  Wanted: A rational search for the limiting conditions of habilitation in the retarded , 1981 .

[22]  Nirbhay N. Singh,et al.  Use of Simple Exercise Tools by Students with Multiple Disabilities: Impact of Automatically Delivered Stimulation on Activity Level and Mood , 2004 .

[23]  D. Reid,et al.  Defining, validating, and increasing indices of happiness among people with profound multiple disabilities. , 1996, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[24]  D. Gast,et al.  The Impact of Typical Peers on the Perceived Happiness of Students with Profound Multiple Disabilities , 1998 .

[25]  D M Baer,et al.  Social validity assessments: is current practice state of the art? , 1991, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[26]  R. Malott.  What OBM Needs Is More Jewish Mothers , 2003 .

[27]  Nirbhay N. Singh,et al.  Stimulation and microswitch-based programs for enhancing indices of happiness: A maintenance assessment , 2003 .

[28]  D. Reid,et al.  INCREASING INDICES OF HAPPINESS AMONG PEOPLE WITH PROFOUND MULTIPLE DISABILITIES: A PROGRAM REPLICATION AND COMPONENT ANALYSIS , 1997 .

[29]  J. Keehn,et al.  Operant eyelid conditioning in trisomy-18. , 1966, Journal of abnormal psychology.

[30]  T P Cooke,et al.  Developing positive social-emotional behaviors: a study of training and generalization effects. , 1976, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[31]  Nirbhay N. Singh,et al.  Impact of stimulation versus microswitch-based programs on indices of happiness of people with profound multiple disabilities. , 2002, Research in developmental disabilities.

[32]  P. R. Fuller,et al.  Operant conditioning of a vegetative human organism. , 1949, The American journal of psychology.

[33]  J S Bailey,et al.  Current limits to reinforcer identification for some persons with profound multiple disabilities. , 1996, Research in developmental disabilities.

[34]  Hye-Won Hong,et al.  How some infant smiles get made , 2005 .

[35]  R. E. Realon.  Adapted Leisure Materials vs. Standard Leisure Materials: Evaluating Several Aspects of Programming for Persons Who Are Profoundly Handicapped. , 1989 .

[36]  W. Fisher,et al.  Integrating caregiver report with systematic choice assessment to enhance reinforcer identification. , 1996, American journal of mental retardation : AJMR.

[37]  K. A. Sutton,et al.  MEASURING AND INCREASING THE HAPPINESS OF PEOPLE WITH PROFOUND MENTAL RETARDATION AND PHYSICAL HANDICAPS , 1996 .

[38]  M. B. Parsons,et al.  A Comparison of Supported Work versus Center-Based Program Services on Selected Outcomes for Individuals with Multiple Severe Disabilities , 1998 .

[39]  W. Fisher,et al.  Evaluation of client preference for function-based treatment packages. , 1997, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[40]  M. Ivancic,et al.  A replication to increase happiness indices among some people with profound multiple disabilities. , 1997, Research in developmental disabilities.

[41]  T. Risley,et al.  Improving independent engagement of nonambulatory multihandicapped persons through the systematic analysis of leisure materials , 1984 .

[42]  W. D. Hollar,et al.  Sensory reinforcement and contingency awareness of profoundly retarded children. , 1978, American journal of mental deficiency.

[43]  M. B. Parsons,et al.  Situational Assessment of Task Preferences among Adults with Multiple Severe Disabilities in Supported Work , 2001 .