This commentary for the special issue on integrity measurement in school mental health research advocates that pragmatism is centralized in implementation and fidelity efforts for evidence-based behavioral interventions (EBIs). Specific recommendations include focusing on augmenting existing practices and core element interventions; developing…

Children with autism spectrum disorder often display some form of challenging behavior and have complex communication needs. Functional communication training is an evidence-based practice that (a) decreases challenging behavior and (b) increases appropriate communicative behavior. Recent research has demonstrated how using augmentative and…

The ultimate purpose of the education is to bring up kids to become productive, self-sufficient and independently-functioning individuals in the society. In this situation, this can be done through parent training programs presented systematically. Parent training programs should be planned by focusing on the number of people participating in the…

Students' early problem behaviors in school can be disruptive and even hinder their learning and long-term success. To prevent and address these problem behaviors, schools across the country report adopting multi-tiered systems of support for behavior (MTSS-B). This one-page document highlights findings from "Study of Training in Multi-Tiered…

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) provides effective behavior management in many schools, yet such systematic approaches to behavior management are generally not implemented aboard school buses. This article describes guidance for the expansion of PBIS onto school buses. Research supporting the use of PBIS in school and…

Managing problematic classroom behavior is a challenge for many teachers, regardless of population. The website, www.basicfba.com, designed by researchers at Portland State University, offers teachers and practitioners a wealth of materials to assist them in conducting and maintaining a functional behavior assessment and behavior support plan.…

Ambulatory restraint is defined as any physical method of restricting an individual's freedom of movement, physical activity, or normal access to his or her body. There has been increased volume of restraints documented in public schools. This alerted the school of education at a midwestern university as to the possible need for crisis…

Restraint and seclusion are crisis or emergency responses, which should only be used in extreme situations (e.g., a student engaging in repeated forceful physical aggression toward self or others) when risk of serious and imminent physical harm or injury is high and when an emergency response may reduce that risk. Restraint and seclusion are not…

Effective classroom instructional and behavior management is essential to ensure student academic and social success. Foundational strategies such as clear expectations and routines, specific feedback, and high rates of opportunities to respond have strong empirical support, yet are often missing from educator repertoires. In this article, the…

Restraints and other aversives continue to be an active area of legal activity, particularly for students with disabilities. The March/April 2016 issue of Communiqué provided an update of the case law specific to school district use of restraints (Zirkel, 2016). Since then, various sources have provided successive snapshots of state restraint and…

The 2022 Legislature directed the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to create an advisory workgroup with specific participants to report back on topics related to student isolation and seclusion. This legislative report provides a background on the workgroup, history of isolation and restraint, current practices in the state of…

Aggression Replacement Training (ART) was developed by the late Arnold Goldstein of Syracuse University to teach positive alternatives to children and youth with emotional and behavioral problems (Glick & Gibbs, 2011; Goldstein, Glick, & Gibbs, 1998). ART provides cognitive, affective, and behavioral interventions to build competence in…

Research indicates that up to half of mothers in home visiting experience clinically significant levels of depression during their participation in services. Depression alters maternal life course, negatively impacts child development, and contributes to poorer home visiting outcomes. This article describes the Moving Beyond Depression (MBD)…

A brief training package consisting of pre-teaching of appropriate grocery item--gathering skills and reinforcement for appropriate behavior was used to teach a child diagnosed with autism to remain in a store and participate in shopping without exhibiting tantrums. The training package began with teaching the necessary component skills and…

Teachers must be skilled in providing differentiated instruction to adequately meet the needs of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who require additional attention and support. Peer-mediation intervention is suggested as a tool to assist teachers. In peer-mediated interventions, peers may be trained to initiate social interactions and…