Lack of progress of children with emotional disturbance (ED) has begun to be documented in longitudinal school-based studies. Variability in these studies may be due to several factors, including widespread differences in academic, behavioral, and social functioning of these children, their special education status, and school contextual factors.…

Reinforcement hierarchy implies movement along a continuum from top to bottom, from primitive levels of reinforcement to more sophisticated levels. Unless it is immediately obvious that a child cannot function without the use of lower-order reinforcers, we should approach him as though he responds to topmost reinforcers until he demonstrates…

Limitations inherent in behavior modification and common misuses of the strategy are discussed. (RJ)

The history and trends of the behavior modification movement in Special Education are discussed. (RD)

Intended for teachers, the article provides an introduction to the four major classes of psychotropic medication (stimulants, tranquilizers, anticonvulsants, and antidepressants) commonly prescribed for children with learning or behavioral disorders. Specific effects on the classroom are addressed. (DB)

Traditional analysis of school learning or behavior problems does not seem to lead to meaningful educational recommendations. A model for assessment is prescribed wherein individual testing might prove more productive and which ultimately presents the school psychologist as a specialist in education and an observer in situ. (Author)

Considered is the possibility that behavior modification methods with educable and trainable mentally handicapped children which utilize primitive reinforcement methods such as token economies are not necessary because the systematic use of social reinforcement might produce the same effect. (DB)

Although many psychopharmacologic treatments and behavioral or cognitive behavioral interventions have been established as evidence-based practices, they have seldom been directly compared to one another as to outcome in children with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD). In this paper, we present findings from 6 recent randomized clinical…

Special education is undergoing considerable change in the use of categorical or diagnostic lables for handicapped children. Much of the impetus has come from the widespread use of behavioristic approaches in education. Three examples of the new orientation are discussed: a noncategorical reconceptualization and two operational noncategorical…