In the SEND Code of Practice, the area of Communication and Interaction includes children and young people with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN). These children and young people may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or social communication that may vary across development. This…

Background: The risk of childhood behavioural and psychiatric diseases could be substantially reduced if modifiable risk factors for these disorders were identified. The critical period for many of these exposures is likely to be in utero as this is the time when brain development is most rapid. However, due to confounding and other limitations of…

Disproportionate representation of English learners in special education has been a longstanding and ongoing concern. However, research examining disproportionate representation of English learners receiving special education services for emotional and/or behavioral disorders (EBD) has been limited. To address this gap, a meta-analysis of…

Research continues to try and pinpoint the etiological role of particular genes and brain structure in autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), but despite a host of biological, genetic and neuropsychological research, the symptom profile of pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) are not yet linked to etiological theory. Debate continues around whether…

A review of the literature on self-destructive behavior reveals the existence of enough clinical data to identify a diagnostic entity, "The Deliberate Self-Harm Syndrome" (DSH). A diagnostic formulation of the DSH syndrome in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) format is presented. (Author/BL)

The book describes Project Prevention, an interdisciplinary project developed by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, to identify risk factors for mental disorders and preventive interventions. After an introductory chapter, the following eight chapters cover: the scope of Project Prevention; children at high risk (e.g.,…

Reviews the current research and clinical views on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in school-age youth which, although not a high prevalence problem, is a greatly underrecognized condition. Discussion focuses on differentiation from normality and related psychopathological disorders, biological and psychological factors in etiology, school…

This paper describes current neurological knowledge regarding the recognition, diagnosis, and classification of frontal lobe seizures, and then critiques a study by A. Gedye which suggested that self-injury may be involuntary and related to frontal lobe seizure activity. (JDD)

Anxiety-based school refusal occurs in 2% of school-age children. The reasons why they refuse to go school range from mental illness and learning problems to general defiance and a desire for attention. Early identification and multi-faceted assessment and interventions are critical to addressing the problem. This book offers concise, practical…

Three-tiered models have been embraced by many schools to prevent and respond to antisocial behavior. However, many of these three-tiered models are incomplete or underdeveloped. Specifically, little attention has been devoted to studying how to (a) systematically identify students who require more focused secondary interventions and (b) build…

This document reviews problems in the identification and assessment of behavioral impairment in young students. Several models of emotional disturbance are reviewed and characteristics of behavior problems are outlined. Assessment methods discussed include observation of student behavior patterns and more formal instruments (such as the "Neonatal…

The forms of abuse that animals are subjected to are similar to the forms of abuse children experience, such as physical abuse, serious neglect, and psychological abuse. This document describes psychiatric, psychological, and criminal research linking animal abuse to violence perpetrated by juveniles and adults. Particular attention is given to…

Clinicians and researchers are beginning to acknowledge the importance of integrating a developmental perspective into the understanding of clinical disorders. Major gaps still exist between basic research on attachment processes and clinical issues regarding mental disorders. Reflecting growth in this direction, National Institute of Mental…

This paper argues for a broad interpretation of the definition of social maladjustment; presents a hypothetical model of the relationship between adequacy of parenting and adequacy of environment; discusses methods for identifying social maladjustment; and describes programing for prevention and rehabilitation through development of social…

This article provides a proactive functional assessment and intervention framework for addressing challenging behaviors in young children. A three-tiered model is described that outlines prevention on the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels and remediation strategies that may be used to ameliorate challenging behaviors demonstrated by young…