A current empirical review of the treatment efficacy of Multisystemic Therapy (MST) for adolescent conduct problems (CP) was conducted. Conclusions based on this review suggest that MST can be a very powerful alternative to the usual legal and social service approaches (e.g. justice system, day treatment programs) used in the treatment of…

The purpose of this article is to assist health educators and students to integrate theory with practice by examining four major learning theories for their implications for motivating healthy behavior change. Using a prototypical case example based on the authors' experiences with farm families through community health screenings, the learning…

Objective: There are few well-evaluated uncomplicated community-based interventions for childhood aggression. The authors assess the impact of a community-based anger management group on child aggressive behaviors, using a randomized, controlled trial (RCT). Method: Families with children 7 to 11 years old were recruited through advertisements and…

This paper describes a nurture group pilot project that took place in three schools in Hampshire. Results suggested that children in the nurture groups made significant social and emotional gains after attending a group. These gains were recognised by the children themselves and their parents. They were also generalised into the classroom.…

Objective: To describe an adapted version of dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents with bipolar disorder. Method: The dialectical behavior therapy intervention is delivered over 1 year and consists of two modalities: family skills training (conducted with individual family units) and individual therapy. The acute treatment period (6 months)…

The Connecting with Others program, initially developed to teach prosocial skills to special-needs students within regular classroom settings, offers an alternative strategy to classroom management and discipline through instruction in self-regulation skills and conflict resolution. The program for elementary grades consists of a K-2 volume and…

Asperger Syndrome (AS) is a developmental disability marked by impairments in verbal and nonverbal communication, socialization, and behavior. This article provides an introduction to the difficulties experienced by students with AS and six strategies that can be easily implemented by teachers or parents to help students acquire the skills needed…

Mindfulness-based approaches have been shown to be useful in a variety of physical and mental health conditions including chronic pain, cancer, psoriasis, eating disorders, anxiety and depression. Mindfulness based CBT finds its origins in Eastern Buddhist meditation which began many centuries ago. Recent studies on CBT with mindfulness have shown…

This biannual review of research describes promising research models that are helping all students, including students with disabilities, manage their own behavior in school settings. The common features of school-wide systems of behavioral support are identified and include: (1) total staff commitment to managing behavior; (2) clearly defined and…

This paper explores the plight of at-risk youth in traditional schools and recommends strategies for addressing their unique needs, explaining the paths of conflict they experience in traditional schools. Three factors contribute to the increasing number of at-risk students: lack of protected childhoods, lack of a mature sense of the future, and…

The behavior and rehearsal habits of elementary level instrumental music students were addressed by the implementation of a behavior contract and computer managed recordkeeping system. A contract was developed following the principles of the "Assertive Discipline" system. Rewards and incentives were used to reinforce positive student behavior.…

The intent of this study was to reduce the numbers of off-task behaviors of a group of 32 sixth-grade students in an economically disadvantaged, urban, junior high school. The subjects of the study were given the materials (paper, the mathematics book, and pencils) and seated before the tardy bell. Following teacher graphing of each of the…

This practicum was designed to train special education teachers and paraprofessionals at a private, special education facility in ways to identify precursor behaviors and antecedent events eliciting maladaptive behaviors in children with developmental disorders and behavior disorders. Staff were given five inservice sessions (totalling 10 hours)…

This study tests the effectiveness of 2 approaches to parenting instruction for parents of preschool developmentally delayed children aged 3 through 5. Sixty parent/child pairs were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: (1) individual parenting instruction only, (2) individual plus group instruction, and (3) comparison group with no instruction.…

To assist work adjustors, evaluators, and counselors in learning how to write individualized work adjustment plans, this publication describes one method of developing individual client plans--the Materials Development Center Individualized Work Adjustment Plan. The detailed description of this plan explains the two basic parts of its format: (1)…