According to coercion theory (Patterson, 1982, 2016), children's aggression is developed and maintained through transactional processes between parents and their children that unfold over time. The theory provides a model of the behavioral contingencies that explain how parents and children mutually "train" each other to behave in ways…

In this deeply insightful work, nationally renowned bullying expert Elizabeth Kandel Englander offers sensible perspectives on student social behavior and equips educators and parents with effective strategies to identify and address bullying. This second edition of "Bullying and Cyberbullying" reveals how enormous social changes,…

This article describes Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children (PTR-YC), a model based on extensive research that is designed for feasibility and effectiveness for treating challenging behaviors in classroom settings. This model is designed to meet the needs of children with and without disabilities who engage in challenging behavior that…

In this article we discuss the necessity of fully informing patients and their families of what constitutes physical interventions and their attendant risks under the established principles and obligations of informed consent. After a brief review of the elements of informed consent and the nature of the duty to advise patients and their families…

An authority on neuroscience (the study of the structure and functioning of the brain) and human relationships, Daniel Siegel (2001) begins his classic work, "The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are," with a basic concept: the brain is an open system that physically changes throughout life in response to…

Decades of studies show that children's behavior is shaped by relationships in the "social ecology" of family, peers, school, and community. But in recent decades the prevailing scientific dogma was that genes determine destiny. Now it is clear that experience changes genes. For better or worse, environmental experiences including nutrition,…

This column explores bullying from the viewpoints of the bully and the victim. It recommends an approach that goes beyond immediate follow-up to a broad-based effort that includes holding class meetings, building an encouraging classroom, and modeling inclusive group spirit. The authors cite research and illustrate their view through vignettes.…

Behavior problems and parental expectations and practices were studied in a sample of 58 toddlers with developmental disabilities who were consecutively referred to a mental health clinic. The majority of children (70.7%) exceeded the clinical cut-off score for significant behavior problems including tantrums, aggression, defiance, and…

The Arsenio and Lemerise (this issue) proposal integrating social information processing (SIP) and domain theory to study children's aggression is evaluated from a domain theory perspective. Basic tenets of domain theory rendering it compatible with SIP are discussed as well as points of divergence. Focus is directed to the proposition that…

Peer victimization among schoolchildren is a common problem that predicts serious maladjustment. In this article, the authors define peer victimization, provide a brief overview of the history of research on the topic, and review prevalence rates, common measurement approaches, and the correlates of peer victimization. This review leads to…

Most directors of early learning programs have had to deal with children whose challenging behaviors are sources of frustration for teachers, other children, and parents of other children. Too often the assumption is made that a child who is aggressive, disruptive, and/or destructive must by definition have some combination of "an anger problem,"…

In this article, the author responds to a teacher's request for advice on how to handle a child in her class who keeps on shoving and bopping other children, sometimes hitting them on the head with hard objects. The author offers support and suggestions on how to help children who use negative behavior to communicate their wants and needs. She…

U.S. schools are currently addressing bullying and its effects on children. Bullying is characterized as repetitive verbal teasing, threatening, physical intimidation, demeaning others, violent acts, torture, and other forms of verbal and physical aggression (Smith & Sharp, 1994a). Little is known about bullying and its impact on deaf children.…

For more than a quarter of century, researchers have been studying the effects of TV viewing on both children and adults. Although controversies still exist, the data presents a clear picture of increased aggression in all age groups following the viewing of ?violent? TV. In this article, the author discusses how to help a child who is negatively…

Discusses negative aspects of young children's free play, including aggression, sharing, violent themes, and the exclusion of children with disabilities. Offers resources to early childhood educators for managing these concerns. (JPB)