Functional behavior assessment (FBA), although mandated by federal law in situations involving students with emotional and behavioral disorders, is not well defined in the literature in terms of how it should best be undertaken in widespread practice in schools. Functional behavior assessment can be defined as a process for determining the reason…

Alternative education programs (also called alternative schools) first appeared on the American landscape in the 1960s. Despite the proliferation of these programs, a generic description of what constitutes an alternative education program, historically, has been elusive. Most alternative education programs have the general criteria of serving…

Children with emotional and behavioural disorders (EBD) vary in many respects. In school, specific conditions have to be fulfilled in order to deal adequately with EBD. This study addresses the question how mainstream primary schools design different instructional situations to support pupils with EBD in practice, and how this design could be…

Offers guidelines to assist school personnel in addressing pica, an eating disorder involving consumption of nonedible substances frequently observed in people with mental retardation. Guidelines are organized around principles that stress surveying the situation, selecting treatments (behavioral, nutritional, and/or medical), and considering the…

This article provides a review of current literature on the comparative validity of different functional assessment and analysis strategies. It describes functional assessment as an outcome-driven process and explains observational assessment strategies and using assessment information to plan interventions. A proposed process for teachers and…

A medication efficacy graph was developed, revised, and applied in a case study to effectively monitor progress of a client with profound mental retardation and maladaptive behaviors. The graph enables clinicians to measure and display not just incidents of maladaptive behaviors but weighted maladaptive behaviors, adaptive behaviors, potency of…

A case study of a behavior disordered 11-year-old illustrates the need for school counseling personnel to consider not only the child's psychoeducational and mental health needs but also relationship patterns within and between family and school. A series of strategies are offered to show how dysfunctional patterns can be broken. (Author/DB)

This study examined the effect of a videotape feedback intervention on the on-task behavior rate of a fourth grade male in a self-contained class for students with emotional/behavioral disorders. Results revealed an increase in percentage of on-task time during intervention, a sharp drop during return to baseline, and an increase during…

Describes how a third-grade teacher worked with a child in her class who had attention deficit disorder. The child was easily distracted and frustrated and had low self-esteem. The teacher's sensitivity to his ups and downs and her flexibility in modifying lessons helped the child succeed. (SM)

Highly practical and accessible, this is an indispensable resource for any mental health practitioner working with adolescents at risk for violent behavior. Presented is a comprehensive framework for evaluating justice-involved youth or those whose behavior in school, therapy sessions, or other contexts raises concern about violence. Detailed case…

Designed as a practical guide to help teachers acquire strategies for dealing successfully with students who have a wide range of behavioral disorders, this book is organized around classroom examples and individual case studies that describe specific problems and solutions. Each chapter deals with an individual type of behavioral disorder.…

Three case histories elucidate a discussion of the developmental nature of the behaviors of juvenile male sexual offenders. The sexual assault cycle is defined in the stages of negative self-image, predicting rejection, isolation, fantasies, planning the offense, and committing the offense. Tools for treating the offender are outlined. (Author/JDD)

This article describes the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale (BERS), a measure designed to identify the emotional and behavioral strengths of children and adolescents. The 52-item BERS assesses five areas: interpersonal strength, family involvement, intrapersonal strength, school functioning, and affective strength. A case study of a…

The handbook describes first year results of a project involving microcomputers in the education of behaviorally disordered students. Following an overview of computer assisted instruction (CAI), the book specifies project goals and research questions. Software selection is examined in terms of instructional factors, program decisions, and…

The paper defines the population of primary school age language/learning-disabled children with communication disorders and emotional/behavioral disorders. It then discusses the language demands of traditional treatment methods, assessment and diagnostic procedures, approaches to communication intervention, and treatment modalities; and offers a…