In the context of a response to other articles contained in a special issue on social interaction skills of handicapped students, trends in developing social interaction skills of behavior disordered students are discussed, including current training issues and procedures as well as suggestions for future research and program development. (JW)

Four preschool children who exhibited aggressive methods for resolving social interaction conflicts were taught a problem-solving strategy. Results found that acquisition of the problem-solving strategy influenced the types of alternative solutions the children provided to social interaction conflicts. Students produced more prosocial resolutions…

The original authors of an article proposing a new medical model of special education for children with emotional or behavioral disorders respond to comments by considering: (1) the role of psychiatric diagnosis in special education, (2) the relative efficacy of behavioral versus psychopharmacologic treatment, and (3) the nature of…

This article presents an overview of the Regional Intervention Program (RIP) and describes ongoing studies to examine the long-term effects of behavioral skill training for parents of preschoolers who engaged in severe forms of aggression and antisocial behavior. Findings from the program indicate positive outcomes for adults and children.…

A prompt fading method was employed to teach an eight-year-old student with severe behavior disorders the self-paced use of a functional behavior (requesting rather than grabbing food items). Initial pairing of prompts and natural cues was followed by a mix of prompted and probe (unprompted) trials. (Author/JW)

Eighteen undergraduates participated in two consecutive microcomputer simulation sessions, receiving specific information about classroom management between sessions. Among results were a significant increase in mean number of appropriate management responses made to computer-generated student talkouts and a significant decrease in amount of time…

The article reviews and synthesizes judicial rulings related to corporal punishment, behavior management strategies, suspension and expulsion, and residential placement. Recent court decisions are discussed; issues related to behaviorally disordered students' rights are examined; and recommendations for practice are presented. (Author/JW)

Individualized trans-situational interventions (TSIs) were implemented with three middle-school students at risk for school failure. Problem behaviors in school were reduced and linked to problem behavior reduction in the home when concurrent behavior support was established in the home and at school. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

A study examined the effects of pullout small-group and teacher-directed classroom-based social skills instruction on antisocial behaviors of five third- and fourth-grade students at risk for emotional or behavioral disorders. Results indicated moderate reduction in antisocial behaviors during small-group social skills instruction. (Contains…

Twenty studies using cognitive-behavioral interventions to influence social behavior of children and adolescents were critically reviewed, using six criteria: subject characteristics, treatment specification, outcome measures, experimental design, generalization and maintenance, and cost effectiveness. It is concluded that cognitive-behavioral…

Functional analyses were conducted with three boys (ages 4-7) with behavior disorders. The students were then successfully taught to self-manage incompatible appropriate behavior as well as appropriate requests for reinforcement (i.e., escape, attention, materials) identified as functionally related to the problematic target behaviors. (Contains…

Four children with language delays and emergent behavior problems and their parents participated in an intervention that taught parents to be responsive to their children's communication, model developmentally appropriate language, and provide contingent consequences for compliance and noncompliance. The complexity and diversity of the children's…

Twenty-two middle school students with emotional/behavioral disorders placed in an alternative school were exposed to a cognitive-behavioral intervention which decreased the inappropriate external responses to anger and increased anger control as measured by student self-reports and teacher behavioral checklists. No effect was found for internal…

The concept of entrapment, viewed as a conceptual framework for social interaction skills training, is a behavioral process whereby newly acquired social responses come under the control of naturally occurring reinforcers, usually the social behavior of peers. Selection of target behaviors and intervention procedures to promote entrapment are…

Three seriously emotionally disturbed children were trained in techniques for self-evaluation for demonstrating appropriate behavior. Student use of those techniques in the classroom indicates generalization to that environment did occur. (MSE)