Although mothers of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience high levels of stress and schools constitute an important resource, the relation remains unknown between maternal stress and educational services. Responding to a national, web-based survey, 965 mothers of students with disabilities completed a 163-item…

This book is a step-by-step, concise, and easy-to-read reference for school teams, providers, students, and parents to understand, design, and evaluate positive behavior support (PBS) plans for students with developmental disabilities. It provides a clear conceptual framework on PBS to think critically about how to approach a student's problem…

The booklet is intended to provide an overview of Tourette Syndrome, (TS), a neurological movement disorder characterized by multiple involuntary tics, uncontrollable vocalizations, and a range of behavior problems including attention deficit and hyperactivity. Typical characteristics of TS are described along with information on etiology,…

The effect of a combined teacher-parent behavior management program on inappropriate behaviors in the school and in the homes of five preschool handicapped children is evaluated. The teacher/trainer collaborated with the parents to select a target behavior (finger chewing, cup throwing, screaming, spitting, hand licking) for each child. Training…

This booklet is designed for parents and educators of people with both developmental disabilities and serious behavior problems. It outlines a problem-solving process to develop positive, nonaversive ways to address serious behavior problems at home and school or in the community. Examples and sample worksheets are offered and blank worksheets…

Fourteen students, aged 7-24, with severe developmental disabilities who exhibited frequent aggression, self-injury, and/or tantrums were assessed to engage in problem behavior maintained by social attention or by escape from unpleasant situations. The differential effectiveness of praise and time-out was measured, indicating the importance of…

The sleep-wake cycles of 4 developmentally delayed individuals (ages 3-19) with severe sleep disturbances were regulated using a faded bedtime procedure with response cost. Following treatment, all four increased their amounts of nighttime sleep; two decreased their excessive daytime sleep; and three decreased their night wakings. (Author/JDD)

This report describes a database, Database Problem Behavior, which provides professionals in the area of problem behaviors and developmental disabilities with accessible information beyond their own disciplines. The current machine-readable database encompasses 885 empirical studies on the functional analysis and behavioral and pharmacological…

Psychological predictors of self-concept, behavior problems, and social competence of 55 siblings of developmentally disabled children were compared with those in 55 siblings of nondisabled children. Distinct psychological predictors for children with developmentally disabled siblings included parental stress and resources, perceived family social…

This booklet explains a system for prevention of and intervention with behavior problems in individuals with mental retardation and autism. The underlying premise is that all behaviors are an effort at communication and that by deciphering the communicative intent or function, one can guide an individual to a more acceptable mode of communication.…

This inservice training module was designed as part of the Child-Centered Inservice Training Project (Syracuse, New York) for use with paraprofessionals in educational programs for children with developmental disabilities. Use of the materials is recommended to encourage team problem solving, to practice new skills, and to provide ongoing support…

An ecological study was made of persistent repetitious movements by 12 developmentally disabled adults in a horticultural day work program. Fewer dysfunctional patterns occurred during times when staff were actively teaching than when the trainee was isolated or resting. Results argued for teaching skills in terms of coordinated response…

Interviews with 137 primary caregivers with developmentally disabled family members (ages 2-62) on waiting lists for out-of-home placement found that caregiver stress was a significant predictor of the urgency of placement need. Behavior problems of the disabled person were almost as important. Lack of support services was correlated with…

The study examined effects of a combined teacher-parent behavior management program focusing on inappropriate behaviors in the school and homes of five preschool children with developmental and/or language delays, behavior disorders, and/or multiple handicaps. A special education teacher/trainer collaborated with parents to select target behaviors…

This guide to preventing self-injurious behavior, in question-and-answer format, is intended for parents, teachers, and other caregivers of people with disabilities. It describes the more common types of self-injurious behavior, discusses methods for identifying causes of self injury, and outlines interventions. Specifically, the guide covers: (1)…