This review of behavioral research on teaching individuals with profound multiple handicaps found that behavior change has resulted from contingency management interventions, but the behavior changes cannot be described as beneficially affecting the individuals' quality of life. Explanations for this are offered, and suggestions for future…

Assessed teachers' (n=89) acceptance of Good Behavior Game (GBG), interdependent group contingency. Found GBG as acceptable as positive reinforcement and response cost. Neither target children's ages, behavior problem severity, nor stated procedure rationale affected ratings. Found positive relationship between acceptability and use of positive…

Interviewed 62 families that had recently placed their mentally retarded children about their experiences. Placements generally followed gradual build-up of child-related stress. Parents reported high satisfaction with placement and positive family adaptation following placement. Family experiences generally were not related to child's age, level…

Reports on three studies of playground fighting among elementary and middle school age students in Great Britain. Finds that the most common cause of fights were disputes over some aspect of a rule-governed game; teasing; retaliation to an accidental injury; and, to a lesser extent, disputes over space. (CFR)

This article offers a framework for assessing problem behaviors in classroom settings. It explains three prerequisite steps (identification, prioritization, and delineation of operational definitions) and three methods for formulating hypotheses (structured interviews, systematic observations, and experimental functional analyses). (DB)

Used least squares analysis and simultaneous structural equation modeling to examine the bidirectional relationship between day-care teachers' lax, overreactive discipline and young children's behavior problems. Found that teachers' laxness strongly influenced child misbehavior and child misbehavior influenced teachers' overreactivity and laxness.…

Little is known about how to make treatment effective for multiproblem, high-stress families. Possible strategies include increased structure, attendance contracts, brief assessments, realistic treatment goals, a focus on one issue, and to help families value therapy. Empirical research and discussion on what works in complex situations is needed.…

This case study reports use of ignoring, positive reinforcement, passive restraint, and time-out in treatment of a 10-year-old girl with profound retardation and disruptive behaviors in home and classroom. Time-out was the most effective intervention with all three target behaviors, with improved behaviors maintained for at least six months.…

Experience with one young man in a school for troubled adolescents helps author understand how the application of voluntarism could help initiate troubled adolescents into a community of learners and empower them to take control of their lives. Describes the school's successful venture teaming up with Habitat for Humanity to provide work…

Examines challenges in implementing the disciplinary provisions of the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act amendments, obstacles to implementing the law's functional-assessment provision, and ways that schools might overcome these obstacles. Encourages schools to include disciplinary practices in a larger program of positive academic…

Describes a school social-work intervention that enhanced parents' ability to promote their children's educational success. The intervention was designed to promote family involvement in home learning by facilitating the exchange of information between home and school and providing families with educational resources. The intervention demonstrated…

Examined stability of young children's behavior problems and effectiveness of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy in 32 families. Found no significant differences between waitlist-control and treatment groups at time of referral on Child Behavior Checklist, Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory, and Parenting Stress Index. Behavior of treatment group…

Explored the antecedents and consequences of attachment disorganization among 157 participants in a prospective longitudinal study from 24 months to 19 years. Found that infant history of attachment disorganization was correlated with consequent variables related to: mother-child relationship quality at 24 and 42 months; child behavior problems in…

Analyzes how schools have become responsible for meeting needs previously met outside schools. When these needs are not met, students are at risk for developing aggressive and violent behavior. Describes the community circle of caring model, which is based on the concepts of connection, competence, and self-control, and contributes to meeting the…

Investigates whether the cognitive style of students with behavior problems are different from children with no reported problems. Considers how students of different styles manifest their problem behaviors. Indicates the cognitive styles differ while the types of behavior problems exhibited, such as verbal disruption and physical aggression,…