This introduction to a special issue on classroom violence presents an overview of approaches to prevention of violence and disruptive behavior in the schools. These strategies range from minimally to substantially intrusive intervention strategies. The article also reviews existing knowledge about violence prevention and discusses the need for…

This study examined the effectiveness of momentary Differential Reinforcement of Other Behaviors DRO (mDRO) and whole interval DRO (wDRO) schedules on high rates of disruptive behavior in children. In both procedures, children earned tokens for the absence of disruptive behavior and exchanged tokens for tangible or edible reinforcers. mDRO and…

Examined the impact of family home ownership on the emotional and behavioral problems of children 4 to 16 years old. Found that home ownership was inversely associated with ratings of emotional-behavioral problems. The concentration of home ownership in neighborhoods was not associated with ratings of child behavior. (JPB)

This study examined stress-support in 42 families of 3- to 18-year-old children with Prader-Willi Syndrome. While children's age, intelligence quotient, and degree of obesity were not related to familial stress, families experienced greater stress when children showed more behavior problems overall, more externalizing and internalizing problems,…

Examined the outcome of a mentoring program aimed at minimizing conduct problems for young adolescent children at risk for delinquent behavior, focusing on 13 mentors, each of whom was responsible for 1 at-risk child for 15 hours per week. Parent reports suggest significant decreases in problem behavior, but there were no significant changes in…

Examines the structure of self-reported problem behaviors in Mainland Chinese children. Findings suggest that among the four factors studied, self-centered behaviors and physical aggression were reported most frequently. Suggests that the single factor conceptualization in which different types of problem behaviors are hypothesized to reflect a…

The effects of food satiation on rumination and a collateral self-stimulatory behavior were examined in three profoundly retarded individuals. For all three individuals, the provision of unlimited quantities of cereal and milk during mealtime resulted in reductions in rumination and decreases in the collateral behaviors. (Author/DB)

Discusses considerations that should be made when one chooses an intervention based on aspects of the student, the situation, and the intervention itself. Considers manipulation that involves reinforcing events and nonpreferred events. (RJC)

The study compared effects of varying sets of instructions on teacher (N=376) and mental health professional (N=178) ratings of student problem behaviors. A statistically significant difference between teachers and mental health workers emerged, though main effects for instructions were not statistically different. Teachers were more consistent in…

Five criteria useful in evaluating any discipline model will help evaluators make sense of a complex issue. Discipline policies should be philosophically sound, pedagogically defensible, psychologically appropriate, pragmatically feasible, and professionally evaluated. (TE)

The performance of 90 learning disabled (LD) children (ages 6-14) on two measures of behavior and attentional skills was examined. As a group, the LD subjects exceeded normative standards on every measure of both scales. However, approximately 30% of the children accounted for the majority of behavioral problems. (Author/DB)

Examined relationship of rejection of social norms and nonconforming behavior to early initiation of sexual intercourse among urban adolescents. Data revealed association between antecedent psychosocial unconventionality and increased risk of earlier transition to nonvirginity. This held even when gender, socioeconomic status, school grade, and…

Four brief observational surveys were used to determine the incidence of drooling by institutionalized individuals with mental retardation. An average of 14% was identified as drooling on any one occasion, with the accumulated proportion of clients reported as drooling as 28%. Sampling of two clients within and across days was also conducted.…

This study reviewed the literature on the clinical features of Asperger Syndrome, a form of autism, looking for evidence that a tendency toward violence is common in individuals with the syndrome. Although many studies were excluded on the basis of inadequate data, findings of remaining studies did not support the speculation that violence is…

This study examined use of benztropine drug therapy to control drooling in 3 children (ages 5, 9, and 12) with moderately severe cerebral palsy. Significant improvement in all three cases suggested a role for medication in the management of drooling in prepubescent children who fail to respond to physical therapy or behavioral programs. (DB)