This digest discusses the new requirement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that Individualized Education Program teams conduct a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and implement behavior intervention plans that include positive behavioral interventions and supports for students with disabilities. It describes the purpose…

Many children today are entering classrooms without the ability to interact effectively with others; this is often the result of inexperience with social settings. Without proper guidance, these children may become aggressive and disruptive, and are at risk for low self- esteem, poor mental health, dropping out of school, low achievement, poor…

This article identifies the components of school programs necessary for preventing physical or emotional "bullying." The need for a systems approach that places power with the "caring majority" and encourages the assertive use of prosocial interventions is stressed, along with the importance of training all school staff and non-bullying students.…

This study identified developmental and behavior problems Canadian child care providers find most challenging, strategies used to cope with these behavior problems, and how providers evaluate the effectiveness of their interventions. Interview responses indicated that externalizing problems were the most frequent difficulty, involving more than…

Elaborates the concept of "keystone target variable selection" for school psychological practice. "Keystone variables" refers to relatively narrow targets for change having the most widespread benefits to clients. The hypothesized benefits of selecting keystone targets for change include more effective and efficient interventions. (KW)

Notes that teachers have differing views toward children who bully. Addresses characteristics of bullies and their victims, incidences of bullying among children, the effects of bullying on children, and recommendations for teachers' support, including school-wide, classroom, and individual interventions. (DLH)

This article describes the Dina Dinosaur Social, Emotional and Problem Solving Child Training Program for young children with conduct problems. The program emphasizes training children in skills such as emotional literacy, empathy or perspective taking, friendship and communication skills, anger management, interpersonal problem solving, and…

Investigates the relationship among teacher beliefs about control, perceptions of behavior problems, and preference of interventions in classroom management. Administers two questionnaires to secondary faculty that showed a correlation between control beliefs and interventions. Control beliefs ranged from custodial to humanistic. Includes tables…

A social intervention for 4- and 5-year olds exhibiting behavior problems is described. The multiyear social skills program includes direct instruction of social skills, incidental teaching, and reinforcement procedures. Training of school staff and program implementation are highlighted. Observable improvements in peer interactions resulted from…

Summarizes results of 1990-91 study of pilot program (SHAPE) using a multiagency approach to provide individualized support services to at-risk middle-school students. Presents detailed case analyses of three selected students representing three target groups. Students having difficulty adjusting to school demands resulting from moderate family…

Describes incidents of school violence in the Northwest, the young killers' personalities, characteristics of extremely aggressive children, and factors that reduce such children's potential for violence. Highlights from "Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools" (August 1998) list early warning signs, what schools can do, and what…

Overviews challenges that rural educators face in meeting the diverse needs of students. A case study illustrates key elements of creating a positive behavior support plan: establishing a collaborative problem-solving team, determining the student's strengths, identifying the purpose of the negative behavior, identifying prevention strategies,…

Discussion of science and education focuses on a 35-year collaboration of University of Kansas scientists with an inner city, economically impoverished community, the Juniper Gardens Children's Project. The project has conducted research designed to improve the developmental and educational experiences and achievements of the community's children.…

Children exposed to parental substance abuse, mental illness, and violence face profound challenges, including increased risk for emotional and behavioral problems, substance abuse, and victimization. In this article, we describe the characteristics of a sample of children of women entering treatment. These children had been exposed to domestic…

There are a number of factors that can undermine a teacher's ability to respond successfully to behavior problems in schools. They include: (1) difficulty relating to an increasingly more diverse group of students; (2) lack of skills to adequately assess student behavior and to identify major factors associated with problem behavior; and (3) the…