Errorless academic compliance training is a graduated, noncoercive approach to treating oppositional behavior in children. In the present study, three teaching staff in a special education classroom were trained to conduct this intervention with three male students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. During baseline, staff delivered a range…

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) has many behavioral and cognitive features that would make it appear to be closely tied to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Obsessive-compulsive-related disorders (OCRDs) have been described in the literature as conditions that share a common phenomenology, neurobiology, and treatment response. The authors…

We evaluated interrater agreement across multiple respondents on anecdotal assessments and compared cases in which agreement was obtained with outcomes of functional analyses. Experiment 1 evaluated agreement among multiple respondents on the function of problem behavior for 27 individuals across 42 target behaviors using the Motivation Assessment…

We examined the effects of manipulating the intensity (i.e., volume) of music on engagement in vocal stereotypy in 2 children with autism. Noncontingent access to music decreased immediate engagement in vocal stereotypy for each participant, but it produced only marginal effects on subsequent engagement in the behavior (i.e., after withdrawal).…

In this longitudinal study, we tested whether the association between oppositional defiance to parental authority (i.e., adolescents' tendency to bluntly reject parental rules) and autonomy would depend upon the specific conceptualization of autonomy. Whereas oppositional defiance would yield more interpersonal distance from parents, because…

Peer problems are common among children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). However, the extent to which children's peer functioning varies across settings is unknown, as is the incremental power of peer functioning in different settings in predicting subsequent psychopathology. Participants were 57 children with…

This hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions examines creating positive learning environments for all students beyond seclusion and restraint. Following an opening statement by Honorable Tom Harkin (Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) and Honorable Johnny Isakson (U.S. Senator from the State of…

Numerous well validated academic progress monitoring tools are used in schools, but there are fewer behavioral progress monitoring measures available. Some brief behavior rating scales have been shown to be effective in monitoring students' progress, but most focus only on students' social skills and do not address critical academic-related…

Today's teachers, especially the many who work with students with special needs, are pressed to know a little something about everything. Expertise is needed in different content and pedagogical areas, but knowledge of different types of disabilities is required as well. Wendy Murawski and Kathy Lynn Scott have assembled another reader-friendly…

Three main aims of this study were to ascertain the prevalence rate of smoking among adolescent psychiatric outpatients; estimate smokers' degree of nicotine dependence; and investigate the relationship between smoking and common mental health disorders. Face-to-face interviews were conducted on 93 patients ages 13-18 presenting to an adolescent…

The prediction of dangerousness and the insanity defense are two areas where psychologists provide research-based expertise to the courts. Teachers of psychology can use these topics to capture the attention of students and to show how psychological research and theory can inform and influence the legal system. Specifically, teachers can use the…

Disproportionate representation occurs when the percentage of an identified group enrolled in special education varies significantly from that group's overall percentage of the school population (Harry, 1994). Response to Intervention (RTI), a paradigm for educational intervention, is designed to minimize many factors contributing to…

This qualitative study examined EBD teacher experiences through phenomenological research. Data was collated through interviews, a focus group, memos, and field notes. Questions focused on how EBD teachers described their work and the factors that contributed to career longevity. The study was conducted in one self-contained school for students…

Students with emotional behavioral disorders (EBD) are well known for their challenging, demanding, unpredictable, and difficult behaviors. Many students with EBD exhibit significant academic deficits, especially in writing. Writing instruction is challenging for teachers because they lack knowledge of the writing process, strategies, and…

Children with emotional and behavioral disorders often present with significant impairments in social, emotional, and academic functioning. For those with the most severe impairments, hospitalization is an essential intervention. Prior to releasing children from the hospital, a discharge plan is typically created in order to facilitate successful…