Examined competence and problem behavior of 70 adolescent suicide attempters for effects of gender, age, and high-risk versus low-risk suicidal status. High suicide risk youth reported greater clinical levels of problem behavior than did low-risk counterparts. Few differences were found for reported competencies. (Author/NB)

Presents interview with 14-year-old gang member and student classified as Severe Behavior Handicapped the day before he was to appear in court. Student explains how he became gang member, feelings toward rival gangs, selling drugs, the trouble he had gotten into, and his feelings about gangs in general. (NB)

Discusses the changes that have led to better services for families whose children have emotional and behavioral problems. Presents principles of family support developed by members of a national family organization and provides program examples and an in-depth description of the innovative Finger Lakes Family Support Project in New York State.…

Theoretical review provides psychologists with stronger etiological explanations for problematic behaviors they encounter in schools. Considers theory of gene-environment correlation to explain how behavior patterns can become more stable over life span and diathesis-stress theory to clarify how environment interacts with behavioral dispositions…

The incidence of psychopathology was studied in 176 Italian adults with mental retardation. Prevalence of answers relating to anxiety, tendency to live apart, and body complaints in individuals with mild mental retardation was documented. For people with severe intellectual impairments, mood disturbance with inconsistent behaviors was more…

Examined factors associated with young children's aggression. Observed 104 toddlers during free play with same-sex peer, with both mothers present. Found that early out-of-home care was not related to aggression. Boys were more aggressive than girls. Observed aggression and mother-reported externalizing problems were associated significantly with…

The psychometric properties of the Motivation Assessment Scale were examined using 90 ratings of different problem behaviors among 86 individuals with mental retardation. Although reliability and internal consistency were generally poor, the results depended upon topographies of problem behavior and methods of calculation. The construct validity…

Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools sends up to 100 high-risk/expelled students yearly to two privately operated Richard Milburn campuses. The cost is $3,500 per student. Although these schools lack typical high-school amenities, kids appreciate getting more teacher attention. Houston has a similar, more costly last-resort program. (MLH)

Three experiments were conducted with two participants with mental retardation that displayed property destruction and stereotypy. The experiments assessed the function of the responses, determined their relationship, and developed a treatment to reduce property destruction. Response blocking reduced property destruction (and attempts), prevented…

A brief negative-reinforcement assessment was conducted with five children (ages 4 to 14) with developmental disabilities with severe destructive behavior. Children were trained to engage in an escape response and were presented with a variety of stimuli. For each child, several stimuli were identified that may serve as effective negative…

Data from the experimental functional analysis of challenging behaviors of 27 individuals with mental retardation were analyzed to assess agreement among three forms of interpretation. Results found that the methods of interpreting function from experimental assessment can give different results and that test-retest reliability of the experimental…

A study investigated the validity of the Questions about Behavioral Function, a checklist designed to assess antecedent behavior, using a sample of 398 persons with mental retardation and self-injurious behavior, aggression, or stereotypies. The checklist was used successfully to derive clear behavioral functions across all three target behaviors.…

Signs, symptoms, and definitions that distinguish occasional incontinence of urine or bowel from more serious problems are reviewed, and interventions that may help are discussed. The importance of medical involvement is stressed. A case study involving a school counselor is presented for each type of incontinence. (EMK)

Describes a model for conducting functional assessment in the home. The model uses a trans-disciplinary technical-assistance team to assess and plan interventions for young children with severe challenging behaviors. Discussion includes the kind of information needed, specific examples of data collection in the home, and the benefits and barriers…

Describes meta-analysis of 99 studies that used interventions to decrease disruptive classroom behavior in public education settings. Overall, results indicate interventions yield comparable results to other studies investigating effectiveness of psychotherapy. Findings show that efficacious treatments used in public school settings decrease…