This article describes the ramifications of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act's positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBS) requirements in the context of disciplinary situations, including the interplay of PBS issues with functional behavioral assessment and behavioral intervention plans. The roles of the general educator…

This article synthesizes information from the special education literature about functional behavioral assessments (FBAs), including the law and FBA, working definitions, basic assumptions underlying FBA, the role of the diagnosticians, the role of special educators, the steps to conducting an FBA, the methods of FBA, and tools for the…

Examined development of concern and externalizing problems in children at three behavior problem levels. Found no group differences in concern at 4-5 years. Concern in children with clinical behavior problems decreased by 6-7 years. Greater concern at 4-5 or at 6-7 years predicted decreased stability and severity of externalizing problems by 6-7…

At a new charter school serving predominantly defiant underachievers and special-needs students, a psychology teacher was challenged to implement founders' brain-based principles. She succeeded by establishing a climate of relaxed alertness, immersing students in meaningful experiences, and guiding them in processing their experiences. (MLH)

A comparison between parent and teacher ratings of 109 school children on the French version of the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form, which measures social competence and problem behaviors of children with developmental disabilities, was conducted. Ratings differed significantly on three problem behavior subscales: conduct problem,…

This article proposes that gifted children with Asperger's syndrome may not be identified because their unusual behaviors may be wrongly attributed to either their giftedness or to a learning disability. Ways in which the syndrome might be missed and guidelines for differentiating characteristics of giftedness from Asperger's characteristics are…

Presents guidelines for developing an effective rule management routine, including create rules and procedures based on cooperative and productive learning behavior; identify specific student behaviors for rule compliance; define teacher responsibilities for rule compliance; establish logical consequences; and develop communication links among…

Asserts that children can overcome fears and obstacles presented by abusive parents or violence in impoverished neighborhoods. States that while teachers cannot take away these painful struggles, they can ease negative life-experiences by creating a secure environment, increasing student self-esteem, and teaching empowerment skills to help…

Used self-reports and reports from friends to explore gender differences in the impact of risk and protective factors on adolescent deviant behavior. Both family and school factors reduced adolescent delinquency and substance use and protected adolescents against the impact of having deviant friends, though school factors were more consistently…

This article explores the problems that occur when gifted children are misdiagnosed with additional exceptionalities. This dilemma is illustrated through a case study of a gifted child diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Guidelines are suggested for careful diagnosis and a diagnostic matrix for interpreting behavior is…

A study examined the usefulness of information secured from eight students displaying substantially more problem behaviors in one classroom (high-risk) than another, and 16 teachers. Students were able to provide reliable information in the functional assessment interview. Moderate to high agreement was obtained between students and teachers in…

Examined associations between income-to-needs change and child outcomes at 36 months for NICHD Study of Early Child Care participants. Found that for children in poverty, income-to-needs decreases related to worse outcomes and increases related to better outcomes. When income-to-needs increases were at least one standard deviation above mean…

Reports empirical evidence on the relationship between parental qualities and adolescent psychological well-being, school adjustment, and problem behavior among 229 economically disadvantaged Chinese adolescents. Results showed that perceptions of parental qualities were related to better adolescent psychological well-being and improved behavior.…

It is argued that challenging behavior can be better understood if a correlational analysis (looking for correlations between behavior occurrence and other variables) is used in addition to functional analysis. A case example is provided of a man whose aggressive outbursts were negatively correlated with trips out of his unit. (Contains…

Rather than being nurtured into healthy beings, the children who experience rejection and blame can become discouraged and angry. They respond with escalating, acting-out behavior to the perceived hostile environment. Success with these children requires adults who can live with them in their world without becoming entangled in counteraggression.…