The ecological approach to working with young children with behavior problems is described. A hypothetical case study is offered to demonstrate the shortcomings of nonecological approaches and the benefits of a broader outlook when intervening with children with behavior problems. (DB)

The study found that in the absence of a history of negative consequences, an all-positive management system for eight first- through third-grade children with academic and/or classroom behavioral problems was not sufficient to maintain on-task rates of academic accuracy. The addition of negative consequences immediately improved on-task behavior…

A study of a call-in telephone service in Raleigh, North Carolina, which provides developmental guidance, referral, and general information to parents indicated continuous increase in use over a three-year period. Most frequent calls were about negative behavior, development, and toileting. Callers interviewed at follow-up reported a high degree…

Prevention of behavior problems among gifted students is considered in terms of typical behavior problems of the gifted, teacher behavior and classroom climate, and the importance of affective education. Teacher behaviors which structure the classroom for success are listed as are characteristics which encourage underachievement. (DB)

People disturb themselves with irrational beliefs, some of which are obvious and blatant while others are subtle and tricky. The latter type make people more disturbed than do the former kind. Even when helped by the most efficient forms of psychotherapy, humans have difficulty achieving and maintaining good mental health. (Author/VM)

The study attemped to link cognitive and social problems seen in girls with Turner syndrome by assessing the girls' ability to process affective cues. Seventeen 9- to 17-year-old girls diagnosed with Turner syndrome were compared to a matched control group on a task which required interpretation of affective intention from facial expression.…

Two treatments, an individual behavior contract and group behavior games, were studied to determine if they reduced disruptive playground behavior. The 191 subjects were second- and fifth-grade students in two public schools. Results are discussed. (Author/MT)

The article discusses the applied and clinical importance of the relationship between verbalizations and relevant behavior (i.e., between what people say and what they do). The analysis of verbal regulation in correspondence training has the theoretical complexity and sufficiency of the operant analysis of antecedents, behaviors, and consequences.…

Investigated whether family interaction influences the acting-out behavior of hospitalized adolescent psychiatric patients. Found families did contribute to acting out in the hospital but that the majority of acting out was not directly related to family contact. Recommends that the hospital engage the family in treatment and consider family…

Comparison of 154 families who placed developmentally disabled family members in residential programs and 377 families who cared for family members at home suggested increased incidence of family problems as well as more severe impairment among families who placed the developmentally disabled. (Author/DB)

A methodology was described for operationalizing the terms "occasionally" and "frequently" on the Maladaptive Behavior Scale developed from the American Association of Mental Deficiency Adaptive Behavior Scale. Numerical definitions were devised from modal ratings of staff members of 28 rehabilitation agencies. (Author/DB)

Two studies compared the influence of task variation or task constancy on the aberrant responding of three severely handicapped students (ages 5, 12, and 20 and diagnosed autistic and/or mentally retarded). Both studies showed that the varied task sequence resulted in much lower levels of disruptive and self-stimulatory behaviors. (Author/DB)

Teachers at a south London secondary school met regularly in group sessions with staff from a hospital-based children's clinic to find new approaches to working with students with behavior difficulties. The evolving structure, purpose, procedures, and outcomes of this interdisciplinary collaborative effort over a seven-year period are described.…

Describes the therapeutic role of informal analysis of learning and skill development and human transactions in the tutoring of an elementary age male who was experiencing behavioral and emotional problems. Emphasis is placed on the importance of communicating respect, hope, and love. (BL)

To determine whether classroom meetings, as a form of group counseling, could be used to improve the behaviors and self-concepts of fourth-grade students, 45 experimental group students and 45 control group students participated in 20 weeks of meetings. Results indicated improvements in behavior but not in self-concept. (BL)