Locker rooms, hallways, and other school locales not populated by teachers are often places where bullies emerge, places where the pecking order is established by targeting any difference or idiosyncrasy. Given that bullying happens mostly in the presence of other youth and often stops when objections are raised, there is growing evidence that…

Trichotillomania is an impulsive control disorder not so commonly encountered in psychiatric clinical practice. Usually patients visit to dermatologists for hair loss and subsequently being referred to psychiatrists. It is characterized by impulsive hair pulling leading to hair loss. It may follow biting the hairs and even swallowing of hairs…

The increased diversity of today's students included in P-12 physical education classes creates new challenges in behavior management for physical education teachers. Currently more students with identified at-risk behaviors, as well as more students with physical or mental disabilities, are placed in general physical education classes. This…

Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses affecting a significant proportion of women and a smaller number of men. Approximately half of those with an eating disorder (ED) will not meet the criteria for anorexia or bulimia nervosa, and will be diagnosed with an eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). Until recently, there were no…

Academic and social behaviors are inextricably linked, and a lack of school-appropriate social behaviors can severely impact students' ability to enjoy academic success (Fleming, Harachi, Cortes, Abbott, & Catalano, 2004; McIntosh, Chard, Boland, & Horner 2006). Scott and Barrett (2004) found that every disciplinary referral "costs" students an…

Conformity--defined here by the fact that an individual displays a particular behavior because it is the most frequent the individual witnessed in others--has long been recognized by social psychologists as one of the main categories of social influence. Surprisingly, it is only recently that conformity has become an active topic in animal and…

The prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity has tripled in the past three decades. This increase has been accompanied by a dramatic rise in obesity-related health complications among American youth. Thus, many obese youth are now experiencing illnesses that will threaten their life expectancy in the absence of significant weight loss.…

This article outlines a three-step process to help teachers determine whether or not the function of a student's stereotypical behavior is sensory-based and if so, how to select and monitor an appropriate sensory intervention to promote instructional engagement. In particular, characteristics of students who are seeking to gain sensory input in…

In this article, the authors present a response-to-intervention (RTI) framework that both special and general education teachers can use in evaluating existing class structures and developing comprehensive classroom management plans for the purpose of managing challenging behaviors. They applied the concept of a three-tiered model of support at…

In preparing children to deal with life in an increasingly complex society, it is important that schools devote attention to well-organised and theoretically sound programmes employing a preventive approach to mental health. Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), as indicated in its name, incorporates changes to thought processes and…

A task force authorized by the Executive Council of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) generated the statement below concerning the techniques called "restraint" and "seclusion." Members of the task force independently reviewed the scientific literature concerning restraint and seclusion and agreed unanimously to the…

Due to federal mandates, physical educators are now expected to teach a wide range of students, spanning the entirety of the learning continuum, in their classes. These mandates support and encourage students with disabilities to learn and grow in inclusive settings alongside their general education peers. Students diagnosed with Attention-Deficit…

This article serves as a continuation of the first article that was featured in the October 2014 issue of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) "Communiqué." There are three primary purposes to this two-part series. The first purpose is to increase awareness of special education law focused on the least restrictive…

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how issues of effectiveness and efficiency are considered most logically in the field of education. More specifically, the focus is on the importance of these issues as they pertain to teaching, instruction, and management strategies for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD). The driving…

This book outlines practical steps for preventing and responding to the various phases of meltdown behavior in students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Based on Geoff Colvin's best-selling book, "Managing the Cycle of Acting Out Behavior in the Classroom," this practitioner-friendly guide provides special and general education teachers of autistic…