This paper reviews the psychometric properties, treatment utility, and conceptual basis of instruments used to identify the functions of aberrant behaviors in people with developmental disabilities. Instruments include the Motivational Assessment Scale, Motivation Analysis Rating Scale, Functional Analysis Interview Form, and Functional Analysis…

Presents the 1985 resolution of the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) for participation in the interdisciplinary effort to ban corporal punishment. Discusses distinctions between discipline and child abuse. Reports medical and psychological effects of physical punishment, and relationships between school corporal punishment…

For a sample of 96 adolescents, found that, when the affective nature of the parent-adolescent relationship was positive, adolescent adjustment was more likely to be positive when adolescents reported less rather than more emotional autonomy. When family environments were stressful, emotional autonomy was positively associated with adolescent…

Examined the relationships between psychosocial protective factors (such as religious beliefs or parental sanctions) and adolescents' problem behaviors. Found a significant inverse relation between protection and problem-behavior involvement. Found significant interaction between protection and risk in the prediction of problem behavior;…

Describes strategies to counteract aggressive responses when students exhibit aggressive behaviors. Promising practices include the conflict cycle, self-management, components of life space interviewing, anger replacement training, and relationship technology. (JPS)

Journal articles dealing with drug treatment of individuals with mental retardation were examined to determine treatment goals and outcomes of treating behavior problems. Analysis of articles published from 1987 to 1993 in 5 major journals revealed that none of the 68 articles concerned with the psychopharmacology of mental retardation reported…

This article presents guidelines for effective discipline in special and general education settings. It addresses causes of discipline problems, prevention techniques (such as establishing rules), intervention techniques (organized into an intervention ladder of increasing intrusiveness), and techniques for evaluating discipline effectiveness. (DB)

Tells the story of a disruptive student who refuses to follow directions from the teacher and finds various ways of undermining classroom activities. Suggests that the student nevertheless sees his own work as "excellent" and believes his policy of "daring to be different" is really paying off. (TB)

Comparison of 16 autistic children receiving psychotropic medication with 16 similar nonmedicated children and their parents found that discriminators of the parental decision to medicate or not included: family stress; the child's speaking ability; and irritable, driven, non-goal-directed child behavior. (DB)

Ways to maintain classroom discipline are discussed, including examples of problems and causes; factors that affect behavior; classroom management techniques; a behavior code; and survival tips for teachers and student teachers. (LB)

Describes some of the goals and methodologies of ropes and wilderness adventure interventions as they satisfy the definition of therapeutic recreation, specifically with reference to emotional and/or social dysfunctions among adolescents and adults. The two interventions have some characteristics in common, including supporting theory and group…

Examined extent to which meditation and relaxation techniques are used by secondary school counselors as group counseling component for treating adolescents with behavior problems. Findings from 57 secondary school counselors revealed that few respondents used such techniques. Recommends that counselors change their roles, enhance counseling…

Reviews current legal interpretations regarding discipline of handicapped students. Proposes a model for fostering compliance with legal mandates when considering disciplinary procedures for such students. Principals should employ behavior management options (such as time-out techniques, use of school counseling and social workers, in-school…

Parents (12 families) used self-instructional booklets to decrease their children's (ages 4 through 8) interrupting behaviors. A mean improvement of 31 percent was found with 11 of the 12 children showing improvement and 7 of these significant improvement. All parents rated the program positively. (Author/DB)

This review of behavioral conceptualizations and approaches to the treatment of child noncompliance includes discussion of behavioral definitions, methods of assessment, types of behavioral interventions, generalization of treatment effects, future research directions, and potential ethical concerns. (Author/JDD)