Although the number of students with behavior difficulties has increased, it has not been matched by a comparable increase in developing educator competencies to meet their needs. Educators must be given the necessary training, supported by solid research in best practices and quality schools. Individualized student plans involving family members…

Twenty-six suggestions for setting up a class environment in which children with learning or behavior problems can develop friendships are presented, including integrating friendship into the curriculum, teaching necessary social skills, structuring successful recess and lunch periods, honoring children's friendships in placement decisions, and…

Describes how to create a safe, healing environment for children recovering from the effects of trauma. Discusses basic assumptions, values, goals, and the process that must be shared by all system members. Moving to an injury-based perspective can increase teachers' understanding of students' problematic behaviors and help students avoid…

This article presents a prereferral assessment and intervention process implemented in an elementary school. Included in the description are procedures, examples of record forms, and a case study illustrating the operation of the process. The advantages and disadvantages of the process, as perceived by the faculty and staff, are listed. (Contains…

Reports the effects of a preventive intervention program on dropping out of school in a sample of disruptive boys from low socioeconomic status. Results show that the program had an indirect effect on later school dropout problems through its impact on grade retention/special education placement. The reduction of grade retention/special classroom…

Defines emotional crises in an adventure education context. Discusses crisis intervention from a mental-health perspective and presents nonviolent intervention techniques for anxiety, disruptive behavior, and harmful behavior. Describes two techniques--critical incident stress debriefing and traumatic stress defusing--aimed at managing traumatic…

The purpose of this review is to present factors that impede and promote successful transition to kindergarten, with a focus on the specific needs of students with problem behavior. The review addresses competencies that teachers report are critical for success in kindergarten, traditional transition practices, and challenges in implementing…

There are major differences in perspective between the traditional medical model of treatment for troubled children and more recent strength-based approaches. This is particularly evident when widespread use of psychoactive drugs becomes a substitute for interpersonal therapeutic interventions. Drugs and relationships both impact the brain, but in…

Official state program reviews of 204 substitute care facilities were assessed for the types of behavior management and behavioral interventions used and the extent to which agency practices were consistent with learning theory principles. Data were also collected on the type and number of professional staff available to implement and oversee…

In this article Denise Chilvers and Angela Cole describe a school-based study which is located very much in an action-research idiom. Starting from a questioning, but collegial, stance on identifying positive interventions for children who challenge, the authors illustrate how theory and reflection on practice can lead to significant innovations…

A developmental cascade model linking competence and symptoms was tested in a study of a normative, urban school sample of 205 children (initially 8 to 12 years old). Internalizing and externalizing symptoms and academic competence were assessed by multiple methods at the study outset and after 7, 10, and 20 years. A series of nested cascade…

Despite recent research indicating that 1 of the pivotal times for identifying pathways to early conduct problems is the toddler period, few family-based preventive interventions have been specifically designed to modify child disruptive behavior during this age period. This randomized trial tested the effectiveness of the Family Check-Up in…

Self-management procedures have been used in school settings to successfully reduce problem behaviors, as well as to reinforce appropriate behavior. A multiple-baseline across participants design was applied in this study to evaluate the effects of using a self-management procedure to enhance the classroom preparation skills of secondary school…

Civil behavior is highly treasured and expected of students and members of the general public in Ghanaian society. The function of families has been, and is, to raise children to behave in traditionally accepted ways. Traditional behavior pattern translates into respect for authority, be it classroom rules or laws of the land. Both parents and…

This article describes the application of experimental analysis methods for identifying reading fluency interventions for two elementary school students (fourth and fifth grade) referred for reading problems. For each student the experimental analyses examined use of rewards, instruction, and a treatment package containing both reward and…