Functional assessments and assessment-based interventions were conducted with an 8-year-old boy with disabilities and severe problem behavior in the context of two family routines: using the home bathroom and dining in a fast-food restaurant. A multiple baseline design demonstrated the effectiveness of the intervention package as implemented by…

Discriminates adolescents' (N=172) attitudes toward disruptive behavior in school from their attitudes toward the instigators of such behavior. Subjects rated the seriousness of the actions and selected a sanction. Discussion of results involves consideration of violence level, frequency of actions, gender of central character, and gender and…

A Pennsylvania countywide, centralized alternative school called CLASS--Creative Learning Alternatives for Student Success--encourages students to stay in school, master the basic skills, and develop the cooperative attitudes needed for success. Eight districts now participate and enrollment has grown to 73 students in grades 7 through 12. (MLF)

Under provisions of the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments, school officials may change a disruptive student's placement before the situation escalates and requires disciplinary measures. IDEA's purpose is to address students' disabilities, including those causing them to misbehave. Also, disabled students may be suspended…

Introduces a study of sexual behavior problems in sexually abused boys and girls, aged 3-7 years. Stresses the importance of considering the issue of the child's own sexual feelings and arousal. Such studies are seen as providing practitioners with pointers to the most at-risk children. Also urges more research concerning interventions for sexual…

Examined relationships between adolescent emotional and behavioral problems and late adolescent personality in a longitudinal study. Found that psychological distress and behavioral problems experienced during adolescent years of 7th to 10th grade are significantly related to personality structure during the final year of high school. (JPB)

This study applied the methodology of an analog experimental (functional) analysis of behavior to the specific interaction between parents and three children with mental retardation exhibiting food refusal and related mealtime problems. Analog results were highly consistent with other forms of functional assessment data, including interviews,…

Elementary school teachers (N=200) were assessed about their explanatory attribution and preferred practices regarding four school behavior problems. Teacher burnout was assessed by Maslach Burnout Inventory. Results show that teacher misbehavior-related attributions and preferred practices differentiate significantly the burnout levels…

Schools are confronted with students who present serious behavior problems that were once only seen in secure settings. In order to be effective with these students, staff members need to acquire skills for managing crises. Article suggests that staff members put students first; use many tools for cultivating strengths; and learn from young…

Volatile crisis situations, if carefully managed, can improve relationships between adults and youth. Article describes instances of serious rule violations that presented opportunities for teaching prosocial skills to youth. (Author/JDM)

Presents data collected from both teachers and non-teachers concerning serious behaviors in the public schools. Results reveal that both groups tend to rank those behaviors they directly observe as being the most serious. Discussion focuses on the sources of differences between teachers and non-teachers and the general role the media plays in…

This article surveys the past 35 years of social interaction research relating to autism. Ways in which understanding social deficits in autism has influenced attempts to analyze and ameliorate problem behaviors are discussed, and emerging concepts relating to social interaction are examined, including the importance of maintaining social…

A parent and educator who has spent the past 10 years struggling to help her own ADHD (attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder) child offers suggestions for managing the challenges facing such children and enhancing the quality of their lives. Since drug regimens have limitations, parents need to read appropriate literature and receive…

Two studies of twin, sibling, and cousin pairs among children attempted to extend a model, called DF analysis, which separates hereditary and shared environmental influences. First study supported the validity of DF analysis applied to kinship height and weight data. The second study showed that spanking, reading, and quality of home environment…

Investigates the importance of temperament as a predictor of children's sleep problems. Subjects were 57 toddlers ranging from 12 to 36 months. Discusses case studies to further illuminate other possible factors such as parental handling. Results indicated that children with reported sleep problems were more likely to obtain an intermediate high…