Examines the effects of randomizing components of an interdependent group contingency procedure on the target behavior of 12 second-grade students. Study compares levels of disruptive behavior across baseline, an intervention phase with only randomized reinforcers, and an intervention phase with all components randomized. Results suggest that both…

A study of 82 preschoolers determined that a new play assessment (Child-Initiated Pretend Play Assessment), which identifies cognitive play skills, possessed acceptable interrater reliability and could discriminate between the play of typically developing preschoolers and those with preacademic problems. (Contains 65 references.) (JOW)

Investigates factors associated with improvement in the behavioral-emotional functioning of sexually abused children, from 6 to 18 years of age. Findings show that children in an actively disclosing stage exhibited significantly less externalizing behavior problems. Children receiving full support from foster parents showed significantly lower…

A study attempted to replicate a previous study that presented reliability data from recordings of behavior state using a 13-category coding system. Replication was unsuccessful. Obtained mean percentage agreement on occurrence for individual behavior state and participants (n=34) ranged across observer pairs from 0 to 58 percent. (Contains 13…

Examined social factors associated with changes in two forms of adolescent deviance, substance use and delinquency using a model that combines social control and differential association perspectives. Results for approximately 2,000 high school students support the model and show that strong bonds to family, school, and community protect…

Investigates the relationship between the cognitive and behavioral indicators of eating disorders and characteristics of codependency, including exaggerated caretaking and constricted emotion. The role of family environment is investigated through an assessment of separation from parents. Findings are discussed in terms of…

Factors that affect the way children play at home and at school were investigated using a parental survey and discussions with students. Subsequently, a plan to reduce violent play was implemented in a kindergarten classroom. Evaluation findings showed a slight decline in children's aggressive play. (JPB)

A brief functional analysis indicated that the object mouthing of a young girl diagnosed with autism was maintained independent of social consequences. Separate and combined effects of response blocking and non-contingent reinforcement were then evaluated as treatments. Although both interventions were unsuccessful when implemented separately,…

Twenty children with autism, ages 3 to 6 years, received either massage therapy or reading attention by their parents for 15 minutes daily for one month. Evaluation suggested that children in the massage group exhibited less stereotypic behavior and showed more on-task and social relatedness behavior during play observations at school, and they…

Shortages of teachers with specialized skills, coupled with increased difficulty accommodating students with problem behaviors in general education classrooms, create pressures for performance and accountability in schools. Describes improvements in classroom ecology after implementation of a school-wide discipline model. These outcomes were…

Examines teachers' responses to concern about classroom misbehavior in terms of support they access, strategies they use, and information they require to more effectively deal with misbehavior. Results indicate that concern about their students' misbehavior was negatively associated with teachers' confidence and positively associated with the use…

In 1996, Missouri passed legislation that provided districts with grants to establish alternative schools or programs for violent, abusive, or disruptive students. St. Joseph School District developed a successful Elementary Management School stressing social skills needed to succeed in a regular classroom. Facility, staffing, curriculum, and…

Analyzes student disciplinary office referrals across a three year period at two urban elementary schools. Results indicate both a stable rate of disciplinary referral school years, and a high and stable rate of recidivism within a school year. Referrals can be compiled into a database to provide useful information about emerging patterns of…

Implemented a comprehensive, school-based instructional and social-competency-promotion program to prevent problem behavior in a middle school. Evaluation of the five-year program showed that it was ineffective, with no dependable results on youth behavior. Discusses implications of these findings. (SLD)

This article explores the use of the high-probability request sequence to remediate the social and behavioral limitations of individuals with adaptive deficits. It outlines the research to date with the high-probability request sequence and proposes applications of this strategy to areas beyond compliance, such as stereotypic behaviors,…