This article discusses symptoms of students with Rett Syndrome, a disability in females characterized by the development of multiple specific deficits following a period of normal functioning after birth. Specific interventions for students with Rett syndrome are provided and address communication, stereotypic movements, self-injurious behaviors,…

A systems perspective on the development of disruptive behavioral disorders is presented and discussed with an emphasis on correlated constraints. The concept of correlated constraints suggests that behavior development involves the interconnected contributions of multiple factors working together as a system. Implications are considered in…

This article discusses the contributions of applied behavior analysis (ABA) in effective instruction of students with autism spectrum disorders. Emphasis is on the use of antecedent interventions and curriculum-based assessment. It also notes that the principles and methods of ABA are being integrated into routine educational procedures, including…

Examines home behavior and maternal perception of three girls (ages 10-11) with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder before and after parent training intervention. Parent ratings of behavior and emotional states were collected, and observations were made of child and parent home behaviors. Data showed that child compliance improved in two…

A naturalistic assessment of self-injurious behavior in an 11-year-old boy with multiple disabilities, including severe mental retardation, found that the boy's self-injury was occasioned by low attention and low stimulation and maintained by tangible and social reinforcement. Naturalistic assessment effectively guided the selection of behavioral…

This paper discusses how to set up and implement a token economy system for students with behavior disorders in a classroom setting. The available literature is reviewed, and it is concluded that token economies have been proven effective in improving behavior among students with social and academic deficits. (Author/PB)

A community-based social-learning program that combined behavior modification with cognitive intervention was used to help an adult male with a history of aggressive, antisocial behavior develop self-management skills. Results showed a significant decline in physical and nonphysical aggression, allowing the man to maintain competitive employment…

This paper summarizes basic research on response effort in diverse applied areas including deceleration of aberrant behavior, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, oral habits, littering, and problem solving. The paper concludes that response effort as an independent variable has potent effects, and research exploring the applied benefits of…

This article discusses three major purposes of observation in functional behavioral assessment: to describe and help analyze the classroom events leading to challenging behaviors, to develop and evaluate the accuracy of hypotheses about these triggers, and to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for challenging behavior developed from the…

This article profiles Unified Discipline, a schoolwide systemic model of discipline that incorporates factors associated with best practices in teaching behavior and improving discipline. The four components of the program are described and include unified attitudes, expectations, correction, and team roles. Implications for practice are…

Principals should consider redirecting school counselors' responsibilities to include directing safe-school teams; establishing networks to identify at-risk students and violent behavior signs; developing conflict-resolution activities; assessing and counseling misbehaving students; devising crisis- management plans; and helping staff predict and…

This article describes a holistically oriented therapeutic intervention (Quiet Place) developed to promote a sense of peace and relaxation for children with emotional and behavioral disorders. Evaluation of the first cohort of British children (n=22) to complete the program indicates the intervention had a positive effect overall on emotional…

A classroom-wide intervention on direction following, sharing, and problem solving was embedded in a story and song format for 53 Head Start children. Results indicate significant improvements for participants on adaptive behaviors, social interaction, and attentional measures. Children at risk for behavior disorders either significantly improved…

Provides teachers with basic information needed to prevent and manage aggressive children and youth, specifically, information on stages of crises (frustration stage, defensiveness stage, aggression stage, and self-control stage), effective strategies for each stage, and prevention strategies designed specifically for public school classrooms.…

An analysis of 396 articles (that included 706 participants) on the treatment of self-injurious behavior found the use of reinforcement-based interventions has increased during the past decade, whereas the use of punishment-based interventions has decreased slightly; both of these trends coincide with an increase in the use of functional…