The most common behaviors eliciting a student referral for special education evaluation related to emotional disturbance (ED) are adult- and peer-targeted aggression. Curiously, the word aggression, which is an externalizing behavior, does not appear anywhere in the federal description of ED. Despite the lack of clarity surrounding definitions, as…

Today, outdoor therapies are practiced in many nations around the world, with a broad diversity of philosophies, theories, methods, functions, and formats (Norton et al., 2015). The field of therapy within the outdoors has been much discussed and debated within the experiential profession (Itin, 1998). The disputes and deliberations have centred…

While functional behavior assessment (FBA) has been a part of special education law and embedded in Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) since 1997, a precise definition of what actions or processes constitute a legal FBA has never been adequately addressed in the law. This article provides an overview of the underlying logic of FBA…

The purpose of Tier 2 positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) is to address identified social, emotional, and behavioral needs with efficient, targeted interventions. Although only 10% to 15% of each school's population will require Tier 2 supports, without effective systems, practices, and data, students will continue to demonstrate…

This innovative text is the first to illustrate how neuroscience concepts can be translated and applied to counseling with children and adolescents. Drs. Field and Ghoston discuss general principles for child and adolescent counseling before examining neurophysiological development from birth to age 18. They then provide in-session examples of…

In recent years, there has been an increased research focus on developing tools to support the design, installation, and evaluation of tiered systems of support. In this special issue, we focus on research validating freely available tools to (a) measure fidelity of implementation of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports…

Juvenile delinquency intervention and treatment programs have the broad goals of preventing crime and reducing recidivism by providing treatment and services to youth who have committed crimes. The following five statements are presented in this report and based on practices and programs rated by CrimeSolutions: (1) Juvenile awareness programs may…

Julie Causton, Kate MacLeod, and Kristie Pretti-Frontczak work with administrators all over the world who believe in supporting students with compassion and leading schools with love. But these administrators report incredible challenges they face in ditching traditional behavior-management practices like punitive or public discipline tactics.…

This real-life story can be rationalised as an auto-ethnographic appreciation of the journey of Diane and I. The journey is new to us when it was once known and planned. The path has veered with new challenges realised since the "death sentence" was passed. This longitudinal research, is original and unique, drawing initially upon the…

This story from the field describes the experiences of 11 early childhood education centers in Philadelphia that were part of a project to implement Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). It tells of the many challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and calls for racial equity and social justice and how these events…

Over the past 25 years, research and practical experience have supported investments in strategies to encourage all students to behave according to agreed-upon expectations. In collaboration with expert panelists, the What Works Clearinghouse™ (WWC) distilled that research into practical recommendations for elementary educators. The…

Schools who hope to implement a schoolwide behavior management policy should make sure to involve teachers in the process. Sprick and Knight discuss ways that school leaders can get started on developing and executing an overall behavior strategy that gets buy-in from all staff. Forming a leadership team, giving teachers voice and choice, and…

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…

With an increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and the importance of providing inclusive educational settings, it is important for all teachers to utilize strategies that support learners' needs. Due to the complexity of their needs, some students with ASD struggle with transitions within and across activities in schools.…

School-wide positive behaviour support, SWPBS for short, is the collective term for whole-school intervention schemes that aim at redirecting unwelcome behaviour towards learning. SWPBS developed in response to what is thought to be a rising tide of social problems caused by youth. During the last decade, in particular, SWPBS schemes have become…