Psychotropic medications are increasingly being prescribed to school-age youth to address a variety of emotional and behavioral problems. In this article, we first provide an overview of these medications, their potential effects and side effects, and variables impacting their use. Prevalence of polypharmacy and rates of current and lifetime…

School teachers devote time to facilitate learning as well as behavior management to produce an environment of positive learning. For the typically-developing youth, most behavioral management interventions are successful to deter problematic behaviors and conduct compliance. However, for youth who have conduct disorder, the usual behavioral…

Paying attention during academic instruction plays a significant role in learning. Students with off-task behaviors are less likely to obtain desired learning outcomes. Technology-based self-monitoring is one of the strategies designed to address this issue. This article introduces technology-based self-monitoring (TBSM) for elementary educators…

Students with disabilities need high-quality instruction to effectively wield writing as a tool to powerfully shape both academic and economic outcomes. Self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) is a powerful intervention demonstrated to improve student growth and writing performance for students with learning disabilities, emotional and…

Here, we describe a case in which an original diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Asperger's syndrome was later adapted to social communication disorder, to meet the new guidelines. First, separate diagnostic labels of autism disorder, Asperger's disorder, and PDD-NOS have been replaced by one umbrella term…

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a behavioral disorder that affects approximately 3.3% of the population across cultures. In this article, the author discusses symptoms, methods of diagnosis, and treatments for the disorder. Although most empirically supported treatments of ODD are based on parent--child training and therapy, there are some…

Motivation and engagement in mathematics are important for academic success and are sometimes compromised in students with disabilities who have experienced a history of frustration and failure. This article explains how general and special education teachers can implement three research-supported strategies for boosting motivation and engagement…

Students across several disability categories share similar writing profiles. Moreover, general education teachers often support groups of writers with various challenges in one setting. Surface-level errors, such as spelling and grammar, are common in the writing of students with learning disabilities (LD), emotional and behavioral disorders…

Occupational therapists have a long standing history of working side by side teachers to enhance the writing skills of children. More recently, therapists are now promoting literacy and sharing their expertise with fellow professionals. This review will highlight research and resources occupational therapists can utilize to facilitate the literacy…

According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood and is characterized by significant inattention and/or hyperactivity--impulsivity that impact one's functioning or development. It is among the most prevalent disorders in school-age…

This article introduces neurodevelopmental and clinical considerations for treating adolescents with co-occurring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and adolescent substance use (ASU) in outpatient settings. We first describe neurobiological impairments common to ADHD and ASU, including comorbidity with conduct disorder, that evoke a…

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are one of the most underserved populations in today's schools (Kauffman, Mock, & Simpson, 2011). Many of these students also have additional disabilities in conjunction with an EBD identification, such as Learning Disabilities (LD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit…

This article discusses how a neurodiversity perspective can help educators create learning environments in which all students flourish. The basic premise of neurodiversity is that there is no "typical" mental capacity--no "normal" brain to which all other brains are compared--and because this is the case, educators should look at students with…

Hidden disabilities (HD) are those disabilities not readily apparent to the naked eye including specific learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, emotional behavioral disorders, mild intellectual disabilities, and speech or language disabilities. Young athletes with HD may have difficulty listening to and following…

With the skyrocketing diagnoses of ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and related conditions in U.S. schools, there is a growing need for information on creating effective IEPs for exceptional students. The "IEP From A to Z" is a step-by-step guide showing teachers and parents how to get the right education plan in place for students with ADHD,…