The investigators attempted to employ strategies that would attack identified perpetrators of school violence and vandalism existing within schools. Results indicated that the dollar costs of vandalism and frequency of inappropriate student behavior decreased more in experimental than in control schools. (Author)

Describes a nine-month study conducted in an urban middle school to attempt to reduce the level of aggression of a small group of seventh graders by assigning them a positive role as mediators to fifth- and sixth-grade disputants. Pretest and posttest measures of self-concept and teacher's perception of problem behavior showed dramatic…

Children growing up in households where aggression, physical abuse and other antisocial acts are the norm often act out in school. Rather than treating these children simply as troublemakers, it is imperative to get to the root of the problem and help them deal with their anger appropriately. (GCP)

Twenty suggestions are offered to help eliminate bullying behaviors in the school setting. Among suggestions are to include class discussions on bullying; to formulate a no-bullying class rule; provide social skill instruction; reinforce positive behaviors; report bullying; supervise potential bullying situations; provide positive ways to gain…

Presents a case in which multimodal therapy is applied to an aggressive preadolescent in a high-management residential setting. Methods of data collection, analysis, and interpretation are demonstrated using a single-subject accountability model. A practical and usable method of determining the clinical significance of multimodal therapy is…

Examines the relationship between the accuracy of academic responding and aggression for two boys with mild retardation. Aggression was highest during spelling instruction; an evaluation showed aggression was escape maintained. Changes in teaching formats resulted in increased posttest scores. Data showed that the rates of problem behavior…

The relations between young children's salivary cortisol level, patterns of behavior problems, and social behavior were explored in this study of 29 preschool-aged children with emerging behavior problems. Decreases in salivary cortisol during a play session with unfamiliar teachers and peers were associated with concurrent and subsequent…

A study investigated the use of different interventions for 151 individuals with mental retardation in residential care: Individualized Habilitation Plan objectives concerning challenging behavior, one-to-one crisis intervention in the preceding 30 days, and behavior management professional services in the preceding 6 months. Externalized…

Many interventions for children's behavior problems successfully utilize a group format for social skills training, providing opportunities for practice and performance feedback from peers. Recent studies however, suggest that grouping aggressive children together may reduce intervention effectiveness or even increase risk. The present study…

Homophily, a term used to describe the tendency to associate with similar others, serves as a basis for attraction among children. The converse may also be true. Dissimilarity appears to contribute to dislike. In one of the only published studies to examine homophily and its converse, D. W. Nangle, C. A. Erdley, and J. A. Gold (1996) found that…

We examined the criterion validity of parent and self-report versions of the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI) in children with high levels of externalizing problems. The sample included 412 children (206 participants and 206 siblings) participating in a family study of attention and aggressive behavior problems. Criterion validity…

Little is known about the characteristics or functioning of children with ADHD in residential care as compared to their non-ADHD peers. This study evaluated data on 538 children with (n = 125) and without (n = 413) ADHD in residential care to determine demographic, mental health, behavioral, and treatment (i.e., medication use) characteristics.…

The focus of this paper is on the potential problems and challenges presented by the content, quantity and quality of contemporary media influences (electronic, print and digital). Whereas most articles in this arena focus on one form of media influences (e.g., video games), this article looks at the cumulative scope of influence presented by…

A review is provided of recent research literature on the topic of troublesome classroom behaviour, published over the past decade or so with particular reference to research carried out in Australian schools. Nine Australian studies are reviewed, as well as a further seven from the USA, Hong Kong, Jordan, Greece and Malta. Seven of the studies…

Research shows that after training in the philosophy and practice of mindfulness, parents can mindfully attend to the challenging behaviors of their children with autism. Parents also report an increased satisfaction with their parenting skills and social interactions with their children. These findings were replicated and extended with four…