Presents the negative-reinforcement paradigm as a framework with potential to guide development of interventions that increase desirable and decrease undesirable behaviors of students with disabilities. Studies involving children with emotional and behavioral disorders are presented to convey the importance of teachers' awareness of the paradigm's…

Examined the effectiveness of a cooperative-learning group structure and direct instruction in promoting social communication of 14 delinquent female adolescents. Participants were assigned to one of three cooperative-learning groups to receive 12 30-minute social-communication training sessions. Systematic increases in communication skills were…

Two case studies illustrate the use of Level 1 research to monitor and improve the delivery of psychological services. The cases are of a 14-year-old with escalating disruptive behavior, including assault, and a 12-year-old with escalating nocturnal enuresis. The article urges research evaluating Level 1 research techniques and development of…

Examines the predictive power of child interview for differentiating matched sample of children with emotional and behavior disorders (EBD) or learning disabilities (LD), and nonreferred children. The Semistructured Clinical Interview for Children and Adolescents (SCICA) was administered. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and…

The role of functional behavioral assessment is contrasted with a longitudinal risk-factors exposure model for understanding and predicting maladaptive behavioral outcomes in applied settings. The strengths and weaknesses of each approach are discussed and the need for integration of the two approaches to gain a comprehensive understanding is…

Describes follow-up assessments conducted with 84 children who had completed Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), a behavioral family therapy for preschool children with disruptive behavior problems. When compared with control groups, subjects improved to within the normal range of conduct problems and social competence, but by the 18-month…

Presents a review of available research concerning adolescent behavior disorder. Discusses classification and progress of the disorder as well as associated behaviors and gender differences. Examines risk and protective factors involved in the development of behavior disorders. Offers recommendations for research and treatment for adolescent…

An 8-year longitudinal study examined bullying and victimization of 580 Finnish youth at ages 8 and 16. Children completed self-reports and were also evaluated by parents and teachers. Findings indicated that both bullying and victimization at age 16 were associated with a wide range of psychological problems at ages 8 and 16 and with referral to…

This article highlights key features of Multisystemic Therapy (MST), a treatment designed to empower caregivers with the skills and resources needed to address behavioral problems and to teach coping skills to youth. The supervisory, consultation, and program practices that support therapist implementation of MST in community-based settings are…

Three individuals with severe behavior disorders and mental retardation, whose destructive behaviors were being maintained by positive reinforcement, were treated using functional communication training with extinction. The case studies investigated techniques used to increase effectiveness of delayed reinforcement and to teach individuals with…

Discusses using scripted lessons to increase the academic information teachers give to students with emotional or behavior disorders before they ask the students to perform tasks that require the information. The results from a study that successfully used written scripts to decrease undesirable student behaviors are reviewed. (CR)

Examines the impact of ADHD on families' functioning. Reviews recent research indicating that persistence of symptoms into adulthood and high comorbidity with behavior, psychiatric, and mood disorders are major additional stressors for families. Emphasizes that effective management of disorder requires multilevel and multimodal interventions, and…

Students who respond to the ludicrous environments of schooling with behaviors and demeanor that do not fit school criteria frequently are given a medical label and drug treatment. The fact that Ritalin is given to 2.8% of all American children reflects a "treatment philosophy" in which professionals define problems and prescribe…

Argues that, at any give time in history, our conceptions and theories of behavioral disorders reflect the basic social and cultural tenets that prevail. It describes how our contemporary conceptions and theories of behavioral disorders mirror the postmodern themes of difference, particularity, and regularity. (Author/CR)

Highlights a number of recommended best-teaching practices, selectively reviews the research literature on teacher interactions in classrooms for students with emotional and behavioral disorders, provides a possible interpretative framework for the apparent discrepancies between research and practice, and makes recommendations for future research.…