To reach responsible independence, young people must become invested in setting their life course. A rich history of research and practice shows that democratic group climates foster autonomy and prosocial behavior. This article explores principles and practices for creating positive peer cultures to develop strengths and help youth meet their…

All too often, one behavioral intervention is used universally to handle a variety of problem behaviors, regardless of the function of the misbehavior. This article describes how a functional assessment of behavior can be used to identify the purpose of misbehaviors and plan effective behavioral interventions. (Author)

Excerpts were taken from transcriptions of four interviews with youth in a special education school. Each adolescent had a history of outbursts, uncontrolled anger, and aggressive behavior with teachers and peers in schools, and in the community. Adolescents discuss their progress in understanding their anger and describe ways adults can help them…

How do sexually reactive youth differ from other delinquents or from nonoffenders? This research demonstrates that all three groups were similar on measures of emotional expressiveness. Sexual offenders were unique mainly in the training they had experienced. The environment in which children are raised appears to have great influence on how they…

Rather than being nurtured into healthy beings, the children who experience rejection and blame can become discouraged and angry. They respond with escalating, acting-out behavior to the perceived hostile environment. Success with these children requires adults who can live with them in their world without becoming entangled in counteraggression.…