Behavior modification as a therapeutic technique for use with parents of emotionally disturbed children in residential treatment.

This paper is based on the experience of the author in establishing and directing a program of behavior modification for children and their parents at the New Hampshire Hospital. The focus is on the operant conditioning procedures used with the parents to foster improved relationships with their children and between spouses. Attention was given to the promotion of awareness and praise for productive behaviors and extinction of hostility. Modeling, prompting, shaping, ignoring, and reinforcement principles were followed in parent activities such as TV viewing, individual and group counseling, and controlled visits with children.