The paper reviews 34 behavioral treatment studies (1967-1983) examining reduction of aggressive behavior in mentally retarded people. Research reviewed was limited to treatment of physically aggressive responses such as hits, kicks, bites, chokes, scratches, and throwing objects by persons designated as mentally retarded. Among results reported…

Physical aggression among institutionalized mentally retarded persons arouses great social concern. To examine the effectiveness of four-point mechanical restraints and a positive adaptive symbol program in the reduction of high frequency, high intensity aggression, three institutionalized severely mentally retarded adolescents (2 females, 1 male)…

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to determine educators' attitudes toward corporal punishment and its alternatives in a variety of school settings throughout the Southwest; and (2) to explore the relationships between respondents' attitudes and such independent variables as dogmatism, sex, experience, level of education, job description,…

This paper outlines a case study based upon the functional assessment of a pre-school child's aggressive and disruptive behaviors, revealing difficulties with transitions from one activity to another at school. Antecedent conditions and functional communication were addressed in the behavior plan using a schedule board based on the Picture…

The Positive Adolescents Choices Training (PACT) program is a culturally sensitive social skills training program developed specifically for African American youth to reduce their disproportionate risk for becoming victims or perpetrators of violence. The cognitive-behavioral group training approach equips students with specific social skills to…

Based upon evidence that peer rejection is a marker variable asociated with maladaptive social-emotional development and the risk of later maladjustment, psychologists have focused both on understanding the factors contributing to peer rejection and on preventive interventions designed to remediate social adjustment problems evident in grade…

Elementary teachers' free response self reports of how they would respond to students' hostile aggressive behavior (as depicted in two written vignettes) were transcribed, coded, and analyzed for relationships to the teachers' grade level (K-3 vs. 4-6), school location (Lansing vs. inner-city Detroit), and rating by their principals and by…

Group treatment based on cognitive-behavioral and social problem solving strategies has been found to produce significant improvement in aggressive children. To investigate the association between clients' initial behavioral and subjective characteristics and the degree of improvement displayed on behavioral measures over the treatment period, 76…

Forty second and third grade children identified by their teachers as aggressive were randomly assigned to a child problem solving skills training (PSST) or teacher consultation. PSST consisted of 20 45-minute sessions of three to five children, held twice weekly at school. Teacher consultation involved four 30-minute individual sessions.…

A study involving 3 elementary students (ages 8-10) investigated the treatment effects of choice making with academic assignments. Students at risk for emotional disturbance (ED) in a general education setting participated. These were children who exhibited aggressive behaviors and were judged to be achieving below their grade level by their…

This paper describes the preliminary results of a study of In Control, an anger management curriculum offered in the middle school of a therapeutic day school for children with severe emotional and behavioral disorders. Twenty students received the program, while 26 did not. Measures were number of anger logs students completed; institutional…

An interview measure of social-cognitive skills that have been found to discriminate aggressive and nonaggressive children was developed. The interview was administered to 25 second and third grade children identified by teachers as nonaggressive and 50 second and third grade children identified by teachers as aggressive and referred to an…

This paper discusses the occurrence of challenging behaviors in adult men dually diagnosed with cerebral palsy and mental retardation, the dynamics that underlie problematic interactions with staff and peers, and strategies with which to address these behaviors. The vicious cycle that occurs when a client with cerebral palsy and mental retardation…

In response to concerns about the increasing number of students identified as disabled and eligible for special education services, and the growing number of young, aggressive, noncompliant, and very challenging students entering pre-kindergarten and elementary schools, a task force recommended the creation of a Behavior Consultation Team (BCT)…

This paper reviews evidence of the success of behavior intervention approaches which teach students with challenging behaviors alternative functional communication behaviors. Research supporting the view that challenging behavior is a form of nonverbal communication is reviewed, noting the importance of identifying what such individuals are…