In this article, we aim to chart a path for a new generation of early care and education (ECE) quality assessments that accurately and equitably capture key inputs to the social-emotional well-being of the diverse population of young children in ECE classrooms in the United States. We zero in on four promising, socially supportive features of…

The incidence of writing disorder is as common as reading disorder, but it is frequently under-identified and rarely targeted for intervention. Increasing clinical understanding on various subtypes of writing disorder through assessment guided by data-driven decision making may alleviate this disparity for students with writing disorders. The…

Given the increasing diversity of families within the United States, early educators have many opportunities to work with children and families from diverse backgrounds. It is likely that these encounters will include children who, at first glance, exhibit behavior that educators may consider worrisome and "challenging." However, many…

Clinical observation is an essential component of a sensitive and accurate diagnostic assessment. The Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule) is a structured diagnostic tool encompassing three essential features of observation: (1) the use of challenging tasks to elicit behaviors of interest; (2) opportunities to observe behavior in…

A consistent result in the evaluation of group-delivered intervention to promote social reciprocity in children with PDDs is that outcome data are inconclusive. Lack of robust evidence of efficacy confounds understanding of these interventions and their value to the field. It is conceivable that the construct of impaired social reciprocity in PDD…

School psychologists who contribute to the assessment of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are required by various Australian state government authorities to use standardised testing of cognitive skills, adaptive behaviour and some autism-based symptomatology to demonstrate the eligibility of those children for support funding in the…

Universal screening enables service providers and families to quickly identify difficulties and implement strategies that are likely to lessen the probability of longterm negative outcomes including severe persistent challenging behaviors. The practice of universal screening is in line with the prevention approach that is the foundation of the…

The growth curve model has been a useful tool for the analysis of repeated measures data. However, it is designed for an aggregate-sample analysis based on the assumption that the entire sample of respondents are from a single homogenous population. Thus, this method may not be suitable when heterogeneous subgroups exist in the population with…

Alice Miller's work provides a theoretical framework to assess the effects of child abuse and its relationship to the development of creativity, hatred, and violence in the novel "Ender's Game." Analysis focuses on the extent to which children are manipulated in order to meet the needs of adults, the presence of behaviors such as the repression of…

An assessment from a holistic perspective considers the overall well-being of the adolescent and seeks to understand the adolescent's development and resiliency in relation to social relationships and their context and risks, given the association between these factors and the goal to promote each area. It is recommended that measures in the…

This article presents propensity score matching as a method to implement randomized conditions to analyze service effects using nonexperimental data. Most social work research is challenged to implement randomized clinical trials, whereas administrative and survey data are often available and can provide valuable information about services…

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…

We describe the historic and current use of brief experimental analysis procedures in outpatient clinic and home settings. We discuss some applications of the designs and suggest design modifications for improving internal validity. We describe our application of the designs to longitudinal, in-home programs for children with severe behavior…

This paper presents the clinical/developmental framework underlying a new diagnostic observational tool, the Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB-DOS). The special importance of observation for clinical assessment during the preschool period is delineated. The developmental rationale for a multidimensional assessment of…

Three forms of objective evaluation were used to assess the impact of a nurture group pilot project on the lives of staff and pupils: Boxall Profiles, the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, and questionnaires for staff. In addition, a micro study was carried out of two nurture groups using matched control groups. The article provides an…