Product Description
One of the largest and most complex human services systems in Western nations has evolved to address the needs of people with developmental disabilities. In the U.S., for example, school budgets are stretched thin by legally mandated special education, and billions of Medicaid dollars annually are consumed by residential and professional services to this population.

The temptation of a quick fix is strong. Many parents desperately seek the latest ideas and place pressure on program administrators, who often are not trained to think critically about the evidence base for intervention efforts. The problems of people with developmental disabilities have historically been targeted by a wide range of professionals who rely on clinical experience and intuition and do not submit their claims to the tests of scientific research. Professional entrepreneurs have energetically promoted their treatments to a public perhaps too trustful of those with credentials.

Thus, families and their children are buffeted by reforms founded on belief and ideologically driven management. Services fluctuate with the currents of social movements and rapidly shifting philosophies of care as policymakers and providers strive for increased responsiveness and individualization. These forces affect not only where and how, but how well people are served. Too often, services are less effective than they could be, or worse, damaging to personal growth and quality of life. Many treatments are based on poorly understood or even disproven approaches.

What approaches to early intervention, education, therapy, and remediation really help those with mental retardation and developmental disabilities improve their functioning and adaptation? And what approaches represent wastes of time, effort, and resources?

This book brings together leading behavioral scientists and practitioners to focus light on the major controversies surrounding these questions. The authors review the origins, perpetuation, and resistance to scrutiny of questionable practices, and offer a clear rationale for appraising the quality of services.

In an era of increasing accountability, no one with a professional stake in services to individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities can afford not to read this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A MUST-have
Controversial Therapies for Developmental Disabilities: Fad, Fashion, and Science in Professional Practice truly is a must-have (according to Matthew Schroeder) for any professional who works with individuals with developmental disabilities. It provides a strong foundation to evaluate evidence both for and against a given intervention, and debunks many treatments that were (and may still be) popular for use with this population. When presenting the evidence for a treatment, the chapter author(s) (who are all located throughout both the United States and the United Kingdom) also proceed to explain why it should be considered with caution, as there are invariably flaws in at least some of the research. On the other hand, evidence showing ineffectiveness is described, including the experimental studies and control procedures used. The evaluation of the research provided ways for laymen to perform their own examinations, and warning signs, or red flags, were raised to signal questionable procedures, both in the research and in proponents' marketing of the treatments.
A number of different interventions were discredited, in either sections of chapters, or dedicated entire chapters. Yet, the number included was "just right": it was enough so the reader felt comfortable evaluating more independently, but not so many as to be overwhelming or redundant. The book actually left me wanting more . . . that is, more evidence and therapies to evaluate, and the reference lists at the end of each chapter were the perfect starting points.
This book is a great resource for parents of children with developmental disabilities in finding the best and most effective treatment. Parents want what is best for their children, and this is the first step on the way to achieving it. I recommend this book to any parent, professional, or interested party who works with individuals who have disabilities; or anyone who wants to make their lives better, or just wants to make the world a better place.

A Scientific Trial of One
This is a must-have for your autism library.The book begins with a brief history of modern medicine and then defines what separates science from fad and anecdote.Other reviewers here have discussed the way this book debunks modern fads and pseudoscience so I will focus on two other areas that really impressed me.

First, the editors concisely describe how to go about determining whether or not a treatment suggested for your child is based in science or not.After reading Controversial Therapies, I now have red flags that go up when someone suggests chelation or brush therapy or other therapies based in anecdote.Also I learned to expect specific goals from therapies and not the vague improvements usually promised.

Second, the authors debunk many fad treatments for developmental disorders, but doesn't discount all of them.Instead, the authors teach the reader how to set up a scientific trial of one for your child based on facts.For instance, if your occupational therapist prescribes brush therapy to help overcome a certain behavior, you must define the behavior, measure the behavior without brushing, then measure it with brushing.In my son's case, like the case given in the book, my son's violent behaviors increased after brushing.I have since performed a trial on the effect of small doses of caffeine on his self-stimulatory behaviors (it helped).

This book is an important work in developmental disability literature and I highly recommend it.I also wish you strength, laughter, and success on the way to recovery for your loved one with a disability.

A review of Controversial therapies for developmental disabilities
Controversial therapies for developmental disabilities is an excellent book that describes a variety of approaches for the treatment of children and adults with developmental disabilities. There are 28 chapters that point out inconsistencies amongst therapies that claim to be effective for treating autism and other disabilities.This book points out in detail the difference between what is pseudoscience and what is science by pointing out important information about therapies such as sensory integration, facilitated communication, and other ineffective treatments.Many of the therapies described in this book are advertised as fun, loving, caring, and able to create relationships between care givers and children, which sounds appealing to parents.These therapies are not science-based rather they are based on intuition, and personal values and opinions.Take sensory integration for example, which lacks evidence that its effective for children with autism or for people with developmental disabilities, however some parents and professionals provide this treatment to individuals based off of claims that are made from other people and from the therapists that used this so called treatment.
Because of such claims uninformed parents spend a lot of time andmoney on therapies that have not yet been proven to be effective.This book can help such parents avoid potential dangerous treatments for their children.It's unfortunate that there aren't any laws that prohibit the use of treatments that have not been proven to be effective for the treatment of developmental disabilities.I think that it's unethical to provide such "treatments" and this book advocates for people with developmental disabilities about the truth of bogus therapies.
The book also discussed why applied behavior analysis is an effective treatment compared to the other treatments described.It would have been great if the authors provided more information about the evidence for its efficacy in comparison to other methods.Nevertheless, this is an informative book for educators, parents, students and professionals.I enjoyed this book because I have new ways to articulate many of the fads described and provide rationales why it's not an effective treatment for people with disabilities.

Finally!Finally!Finally!
As an teacher educator this is a breath of fresh air - common sense and a spotlight on the ridiculous fads in education abound.

Great Resource - A must for any parent or professional
Finally, a book that takes an objective view on the current "quick fix" and "miracle" treatments that are seen in developmental disabilities, specifically in autism. ... Read more

Product Description
Fads and fashion came together for the first time in the 1950s. Undulating in hula hoops, bopping to rock n roll, drag racing and shopping for the latest fad, teen-agers took over and created their own pop culture that influenced the world.

Artist Charlotte Whatley has cleverly incorporated 50 fads of the 50s into 32 fashion items in this new paper doll book from Paper Studio Press. Two couples, Bud & Beckie and Esther and Eddy, have a wardrobe of memorable 50s fashions, complete with everything from pencil skirts and penny loafers to letter sweaters and leather jackets. And, like real sisters or best friends, the two girls can share clothes! A fashion essay by David Wolfe is included along with a fun fashion quiz. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

COOLSVILLE DADDIO!!
This is both a great nostalgic trip for those who remember all those great little teen fads and fashions in the 1950s AND fashion afficionados interested in accurate historic depictions of that time frame. Charlotte Whatley's art is done in a style very reminiscent of the 50s fashion illustrations/paper doll art, and the include carefully researched details down to the tiny meticulously drawn jewelry. The colors are lush and the fabric textures are fabulous! In an era where many artists are now using computer generated art, this has obviously been rendered by the hand of a very talented artist! Bravo!

What is quite unusual in this book is the inclusion of a "juvenille deliquent" type character: Eddy, who wears the bad boy pompadour hairstyle,jeans,black leather jacket and Converse high tops. For prom(?) he decks out in a very fine "Teddy Boy" ensemble complete with crepe sole shoes. He also wears an "early Elvis" outfit with stylin' white half boots and shirt unbuttoned to his waist. Tame by today's standards but spelled T-R-O-U-B-L-E to 1950s parents. I do not recall seeing this character type 50s icon ever put into paper dolls in the 1950s.

There is also "Bud" who bears a strong resemblance to blond Tab Hunter, and is the clean cut "Ivy Leaguer". He even has a Freshman beanie!A second semiformal plaid jacket may be cleverly placed over his white tux jacket for an extra dress up look. Check out his Pat Boone White Buck Shoes!

Esther and Beckie can swap clothes just like best friends and sisters did back then. Because there are so many separate wardrobe pieces, you can create several looks: casual, Beatnik, campus and very lavish formal and semi-formal looks. Even "handmade crowns" by the class artist for those sweetheart king & queen dances!

Not to be missed: The fabulous girl's underwear! There are missle bras, can-can petticoats and WOW!: "days of the week" panties!! NOTHING has been left out!

Included is a written "game" where you are challenged to find "50 from the 50s": all the little details that are included in the costumes. It will have you laughing and sighing.

The final inside cover has a delightful historic article on the 50s by renowned fashion expert: Davis Wolfe!

A treat NOT to be missed!! But two copies! one to cut and one to keep! ... Read more

Product Description

Since the late 19th century, Japan has openly invited the foreign and the new, and in so doing has embraced the ephemeral. In this intriguing investigation into fads and fashions, their inherent meanings and potential for Japanese enterprise and society, Donald Richie, a renowned American writer who has lived in Tokyo for more than 50 years, opens up the industry of the image from Tamagochis to image clubs, T-shirts to robots.

Customer Reviews (3)

More on Japan from the Dean of gaijin writers
This book attacks a fairly narrow question, "Why does a society with such a reputation for conformity chase such outlandish fads?"Donald Richie, a long timer writer on Japanese culture, tackles this in a series of essays on pachinko, the culture of cute, sex culture and even Japanese who try to look foreign.

In the essays, he proposes explanations for these contradictions in behavior.Perhaps dressing in the outlandish fad of the month is part of a uniform for being in a group that dresses that way - membership created as such.The mobile phone craze (replacing Manga, another fad) is interpreted as an exercize in proving one's group belonging.In doing so, he also suggests that perhaps some of these beliefs about conformity are not to distinct to Japanese.Perhaps their uniqueness is in fessing up to a more universal tribalism.

Very interesting reading for both those interested in contemporary Japan, as well as people interested in the nature of belonging.

This makes a fun subject boring, tedius and scholarly
This book makes a fun subject boring, tedius and scholarly. I would only buy this book if you have to write a paper on the subject. I bought it for fun reading because I love cosplay, manga, anime, Japanese pop culture and Japanese fashion. However, this book is filled with complicated, esoteric language meant to alienate the average reader. I don't know who the author thought he was writing for, but it was definitely not for young people who would be intersted in this stuff. It sounds like he was writing it for college literature professors. He really makes it boring! If you want to read a fascinating book about the seedier side of Japanese culture, like about the sex trade, geisha and hostess bars, read Butterflies of Night ISBN: 059532603X. If you want to just see hilariously outrageous photographs of Japanese fashion, buy Fruits by Shoichi Aoki ISBN: 0714840831.

An up to date book of a changing landscape
This is an up-to-date book. In a country where fads and fashions change rapidly this book serves as a postcard of the now. The author's writing is articulate and indicates a wide array of research and reading going into the material presented here. He has a good knowledge of the Japanese words used, and their lexigraphic meaning. He has been to the places he talks about and spoken to the people involved.

He covers fads and fashions such as kawaii (cute), manga (comics), pachinko (vertical pinball as gambling) and kosupure (costume play). He also doesn't shirk away from the sex industry and porn, an major cultural asset in Japan. The use of mobile phones and faux theme parks. From fashion shops in Shinjuku and Harajuku to the seedy parts of Tokyo.

Maybe the only thing missing I feel is a discussion on the different aspects of Japanese drinking. Alcohol is an important part of Japanese culture, as are hostess bars. But that is mostly an avenue of the salaryman, where as this book deals more with the younger generations.

Think of this beek as a modern version of Alex Kerr's Lost Japan.

The book also contains 48 colour photos which help to highlight and detail the topic material. ... Read more

Product Description
Fads by nature and by definition are hard to capture, yet Hoffmann and Bailey have captured over one hundred of the passing fashion fancies and merchandising miracles during America’s short history in their latest collection of fads, Fashion & Merchandising Fads.

Life devoid of fads is impossible to imagine, and the fads that do enter our lives become vehicles for amusement upon retrospection. How long any fad stays in vogue is anybody’s guess, but Hoffmann and Bailey have again found those fads that somehow took root and flourished, if only for a short period of time, in America. Concise entries describe each fad from its beginning to its demise and its devout followers. Readers are sure to recognize many of the trends and fads collected in Fashion & Merchandising Fads.

A browse through the contents will have readers smiling as they remember

• Alex, Stroh’s Beer-Drinking Dog and “Baby On Board” Stickers
• Barbie Dolls and Celebrity Perfumes
• Convertibles, Digital Watches, and Drive-In Banking
• Garfield, G. I. Joe, and Handbags for Men
• Knickers and Matchbox Cars
• The Model T and the Mustang
• Paper Dolls and Rubik’s Cube
• Silly Putty, the Slinky, and Synthetics in Clothes
• Top Hats, the Trilby, and Twiggy
• VCRs, Yuppies, and Zubaz
  
  Each fad featured in Fashion & Merchandising Fads is examined thoroughly and concisely by the authors. They look at the historical setting, how the trend became popular, and the people most fascinated and involved with the trend. References follow each entry to make further reading on each fad a relatively easy task for those intrigued by fads. As fads enter and encompass society for a period of time, this collection of fads, arranged alphabetically, is sure to captivate readers from beginning to end, or, in a world of fads, from the A-2 Flight Jacket to the Zipper.

Customer Reviews (1)

Concise descriptions of a variety of American fads
Hoffman and Bailey have compiled a couple hundred brief descriptions of fads from the United States.The focus is on fads from the last 50 years.There isn't any analysis of what fads really are, or what makes themhappen, but it's interesting reading.It's enjoyable for anyone interestedin fads, but I particularly recommend it for younger readers. ... Read more

Product Description
ALSO AVAILABLEINSTRUCTOR SUPPLEMENTS CALL CUSTOMER SUPPORT TO ORDER Instructor's Guide, 0-8273-5059-7 Testbank, 0-8273-5399-5 ... Read more

Product Description
Published by the National Library of Australia. From blackened damper and mutton to the designer concotions of food and fashion fanatics, Australian food has left behind its colonial privations to become as delectably diverse as its population. In this wry, audacious and absorbing consideration of the history of food in this country over the last 150 years, Colin Bannerman spares no dish, no recipe and no chef that captures his attention. Carefully researched, drawing on an array of books, magazines and newspapers held at the National Library, Seed Cake and Honey Prawns: Fashion and Fad in Australian Food is an entertaining and delightfully opinionated book about an essential aspect of Australian culture. ... Read more

Product Description
This book takes a very critical look at management fads and fashions to show that many do not stand up to scrutiny. It is believed, for example, that coaching is successful. What is the evidence for this? Selection procedures at interviews result in the right candidate being selected. Again, what is the evidence? The author shows that although many fads and fashions in management are short-lived and based upon flimsy evidence, they still enjoy a period of support and popularity. His bok will be an important tool for managers who want to understand the substance and rigor or lack thereof associated with modern management ideas and concepts.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Unfortunately, a missed opportunity
Ever since reading "Hard Facts,.." by Pfeffer and Sutton, I've become a believer of 'evidence based management' (EBM) and always looking for more information/books on this topic. This book by Adrian Furnham was recommended by Pfeffer and Sutton, and so I bought it in eager anticipation.

The introduction offers excellent information on the fads and fallacies of management, including the need for evidence based management (EBM).

The rest of the book, unfortunately, just doesn't cut it from an EBM perspective. Many significant management topics are discussed, Furnham gives his opinion but doesn't give the reader any evidence to back-up his opinion on the subject(i.e. proper references to relevant research). Where's the verifiable evidence?

So, the book discusses the right topics, but the evidence is lacking.
In my mind, a missed opportunity. It could have been so much better.
... Read more

Product Description
Light up your lava lamp, grab your double-knit flares and get ready to hustle: In the wake of the hits CELEBRATE THE '80s and CELEBRATE THE '90s, PEOPLE harks back to the last decade with a personality. Disco! Pet Rocks! Charlies Angels! Also: The Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Jordache jeans, Margaret Thatcher, Yoda, Rocky, ABBA, jiggle, mood rings, and Mork! A fun reminder for those who were there, and, perhaps, a cautionary tale for their children. (Kids: Two-tone wingtip platform shoes are NOT A GOOD LOOK!) ... Read more

Product Description
What accounts for our tastes? Why and how do they change over time? Stanley Lieberson analyzes children's first names to develop an original theory of fashion. He disputes the commonly-held notion that tastes in names (and other fashions) simply reflect societal shifts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fascinating font of factoids
Seven years ago, my wife and I thought we were going to be clever and original if we named our daughter "Hannah".We didn't know any Hannahs in our generation.But now it seems every other family had a "Hannah" in the 1990s.After reading Lieberson's book, I understand that we got swept up in one of the many waves of name-fashions that he so ably chronicles.

This is an entertaining book, remarkably so considering the author's intention which was to write a serious work of academic deep-think.So there's a great deal of sociologist talk, which is decidedly not entertaining.But, just as the cartoons redeem even the worst issues of the _New Yorker_ , this book is worth getting just for the many statistical charts. You can follow the spectacular career of "Jennifer", the ups and downs of Biblical names, learn about names and social class, and so on.

Finally, I recommend this book to economists who are interested in fads and herd behavior.

What's in a name?Lieberson knows!
Lieberson has written a scholarly, witty, and extremely informative book about the factors influencing parents' choices of first names for their children.Using data from 7 countries plus the states of Illinois and California, he shows that "fashion" affects children's names just as much as it does choices in clothing or music.Names became objects of fashion several centuries ago in the West, when, among other influences, state regulations and religious customs loosened their hold over what names parents could choose.With the changes concomitant upon nations entering the modern era, name choices subsequently became more matters of individual preference rather than custom and tradition.However, parents made their choices within the context of changing tastes driven by forces "internal" to the naming process itself, rather than being "determined" by external technological or mass media forces.

The sounds of names themselves display explicable trends, such as the preference for names ending in "a" or "n."Groups of names with similar endings rise and fall together, in fairly orderly, long-term movements.

Lieberson does a brilliant job in presenting evidence, using simple graphs and tables, rather than elaborate quantitative statistical analysis.His chapter on trends in name choices among ethnic and racial groups is particularly compelling, as he shows the joint affects of internal mechanisms (e.g. how names "sound") and external influences (e.g. a group's desire to assimilate quickly).

Want to know why your parents named you "Judy" rather than "Judith"?This book has the answer!

A Taste of names
A MATTER OF TASTE is a powerful contribution to our understanding of thefactors underlying the popularity of first names.Lieberson has broughttogether a wealth of ideas, concepts, and principles to the analysis ofsocial change.He has used empirical data from the research on names to dothis.The data come from several locales including various parts of theUnited States, England and Wales, Scotland, Denmark and France.Extensiveattention paid to the media influence (or lack of) on the popularity ofnames.For anyone interested in first names this is a valuable backgroundsource to understanding their importance. ... Read more

Product Description
This book explores changes in the English diet and the specific differences between each generation. What did ordinary people eat and drink five hundred years ago? How much did they talk about food? Did their eating habits change much? Our knowledge is mostly superficial on such commonplace routines, but this book digs deep and finds surprising answers to these questions. We learn that food fads and fashions resembled those of our own day. Commercial, scientific and intellectual movements were closely entwined with changing attitudes and dealings about food. In short, food holds a mirror to a lively world of cultural change stretching from the Renaissance to the industrial Revolution. This book also strongly challenges the assumption that ordinary folk ate dull and monotonous meals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A welcome and thorough addition to culinary and cultural history shelves.
Agriculture historian Joan Thirsk presents Food in Early Modern England: Phases, Fads, Fashions 1500-1760, a close scrutiny at the dietary and culinary practices of ordinary people of England five hundred years ago, from the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution. Chapters explore how people of the era talked about the food, what caused changes in eating habits, past food fads and fashions, and how attitudes toward food mirrored cultural changes. Delving deep into printed primary sources for information, Food in Early Modern England discusses how war heightened the importance of the renewed search for food in times of war, how patterns of commerce as well as regional and social patterns affected diets, the role of different specific staples such as bread, meat from farm animals and rabbits, dairy foods, vegetables and herbs, and much more. "Mustard is said to have been used before pepper was imported, and since it thrives to this day, it can be said to have one of the longest recorded histories of any flavouring in England." A welcome and thorough addition to culinary and cultural history shelves. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from The Futurist, published by World Future Society on May 1, 1998. The length of the article is 473 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: There has been a sharp increase in the number of Americans who exercise regularly from 1987 to 1996. The growth has been fueled by the older generation's interest in maintaining their physical well-being and vigor. Women also made up a huge chunk of the physical fitness enthusiasts.

Citation Details
Title: Tracking fitness: from fashion fad to health trend.
Author: Dan Johnson
Publication: The Futurist (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 1, 1998
Publisher: World Future Society
Volume: v32Issue: n4Page: p8(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
What is the story behind the Hula Hoop? Where did the Angry Young Men and the Beautiful People come from - and where did they go? How old is the New Age? Or for that matter the much-touted New Man? Through hundreds of entries and telling quotations, this book explores the fascinating succession of crazes, vogues and trends that have shaped post-war society. Entries on music, architecture and design combine with philosophy, politics and popular culture. Within this diverse range, readers can trace the origins and development of trends from break dancing to feminism, from the New Look to Post-Modernism. Through a comprehensive network of cross-references, Tony Thorne sets fads and fashions in their proper context, and points to their wider significance. Tony Thorne is the author of the "Bloomsbury Dictionary of Contemporary Slang". He has lectured and broadcast worldwide on issues of language and culture. He has published a number of books and contributed to best-selling dictionaries. He currently teaches at King's College, University of London. ... Read more

Product Description
Standards of modesty (also called demureness or reticence) areaspects of the culture of a country or people, at a givenpoint in time, and is a measure against which an individual insociety may be judged. Though the term can be applied to bothmen and women, and boys and girls, it is most commonly appliedto women and girls. ... Read more

Product Description
Articles include 1938 Halloween Martians scare, party invitation from 1911, rare truck discovered in a barn, writer for The Shadow - 40's radio program, Ernie Pyle - WWII correspondent, fashion fads (Hopalong Cassidy), 1938 hurricane, plus much more. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Journal of Social History, published by Journal of Social History on December 22, 2009. The length of the article is 1121 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Food in Early Modern England: Phases, Fads, Fashions 1500-1760.(Book review)
Author: Deborah Valenze
Publication: Journal of Social History (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 22, 2009
Publisher: Journal of Social History
Volume: 43Issue: 2Page: 476(3)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more