Direct observation of classroom behavior in young children enriches our understanding of their behavior in its natural context, informing both assessment and intervention strategies to foster supportive learning environments. However, a notable gap in the literature concerning effective direct observation tools specifically designed for this…

We contrasted Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition--Parent Rating Scales--Preschool Form (BASC-2 PRS-P) parent ratings for 242 (52% African American; 39% White) preschool-aged children from three diagnostic groups: autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), and ASD and ID (ASD/ID). Across diagnostic groups,…

This study investigated the accuracy of brief anxiety scales for non-treatment-seeking youth with autism spectrum disorder. In all, 54 youth (7-17?years; IQ: 67-158) with autism spectrum disorder and their parents completed (a) an expanded version of the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule--Child/Parent designed to capture typical and atypical…

From its inception as a disability category in the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, serving students under the special education category Emotional Disturbance (ED) has been a challenging task for school psychologists. In particular, the vague and ambiguous federal definition has created an environment in which inconsistent assessment…