Staff development is most effective when undertaken in a supportive and respectful environment that promotes self-evaluation. These same principles are the basis of the Restitution model, which was created to provide specific direction for school staff in working effectively with students to address behaviour concerns. This model can be adapted to…

In "Aplysia," repeated trials of aversive stimuli produce long-term sensitization (LTS) of defensive reflexes and suppression of feeding. Whereas the cellular underpinnings of LTS have been characterized, the mechanisms of feeding suppression remained unknown. Here, we report that LTS training induced a long-term decrease in the excitability of…

To increase the capacity of schools to serve more children within the context of prevention tiers of support, finding resources and building the infrastructure to support the use of coaching teachers in the area of social behavior supports are vital. Increasingly, teachers are expected to know how to implement strategies to support all children,…

Relatively few functional assessment and intervention studies have been conducted in preschool classrooms with children of typical development who engage in high incidence problem behaviors. Moreover, limited studies have used functional assessment procedures with the class as the unit of analysis. This study included functional analyses and a…

Preliminary research studies suggest that some people who use computer, video games, and the Internet heavily develop dysfunctional symptoms, often referred to in the popular press as an "addiction." Although several studies have measured various facets of this issue, there has been no common framework within which to view these studies. This…

After a 3-step guided compliance procedure (vocal prompt, vocal plus model prompt, vocal prompt plus physical guidance) did not increase compliance, we evaluated 2 modifications with 4 preschool children who exhibited noncompliance. The first modification consisted of omission of the model prompt, and the second modification consisted of omitting…

Research conducted on youth exposure to violence has generally focused on documenting the prevalence of community violence and its emotional and behavioral implications. However, there is a dearth of information related to the impact of violence on the implementation and evaluation of community and school-based programs. This commentary examines…

Research on functional response classes has applied significance because less severe forms of problem behavior have been found to co-occur with more severe forms. In addition, the most severe forms of problem behavior are sometimes targeted for intervention without monitoring other less severe forms. In such cases, it is unknown whether and how…

Research indicates that fears and phobias are significantly more prevalent and emerge in response to a greater variety of stimuli, among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) than among their developmentally disabled or typically developing peers. Such findings are problematic given the difficulty of assessing and identifying fears or…

The behaviors frequently displayed by students with autism can place them at risk for overly reactive behavior interventions with unwanted side effects. The current study examined the level of intrusiveness of behavioral treatments developed for 198 students with disabilities from 13 different states. Results demonstrated that students diagnosed…

Background: There is a considerable body of evidence to suggest that behavioural activation for depression is an equally effective but less complex treatment than cognitive behavioural therapy. It may therefore be more suitable for those who are cognitively impaired (i.e. early-stage dementia or mild cognitive impairment) or have a learning…

This systematic mapping review mapped current knowledge of equine-assisted interventions for people with autism to help guide future practice and research. Thirty-three studies including children and adolescents with autism, 3 of which confirmed diagnoses, were reviewed. Five types of equine-assisted activities were identified across 25 studies,…

This study was aimed to evaluate the impact of visual pedagogy in dental check-ups and preventive practices among children with autism aged 6-12. In this randomized double-blind clinical trial, the cooperation of 40 children with autism age 6-12. The selected children were equally divided into two groups of case and control (n = 20). The obtained…

The use of paraprofessionals in general education classrooms has been increasing due to inclusion of students with disabilities into least restrictive environments (LRE). Paraprofessionals are hired by schools to work with students with disabilities and assist them in special and general education classrooms. The Individuals with Disabilities…

Naturalistic behavioral interventions increase the acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of child social communication skills among children with developmental delays (DD). Teaching Assistants (TAs) are ideal interventionists for delivering social communication interventions because of the significant amount of time they spend working…