This study, involving 23 preschool-aged children in a day care center, found that the mean numbers of reported interpersonal conflicts decreased when a 30-minute play period was divided into 2 15-minute play periods, compared to conflict frequency during 30 minutes of a 60-minute play period. (Author/JDD)

Parents and children completed measures that assessed children's behavior problems and depression. Children had experienced abuse, witnessed spouse abuse, experienced and witnessed abuse, or experienced no domestic violence. Reports of effects of domestic violence on children varied, depending on the type of violence and the person reporting it.…

Compared psychological, familial, and demographic data for 42 suicidal, 16 suicide ideation, and 42 control pediatric patients. Chaotic families, behavior problems, depression, constriction, and lack of insight differentiated suicide attempters from controls. Suicide ideation group was similar to both attempters and controls. Constriction was only…

Data concerning maladaptive behavior obtained on a sample of persons (n=8255) with mild to profound mental retardation and aged from birth to 98 years were factor analyzed resulting in identification of 2 principal factors for children, 3 for adolescents and young adults, and three and 4 for middle and older adults, with level of retardation also…

Assertive discipline can help teachers develop more consistent and effective communication strategies for influencing student behavior. Over a nine-week period, two teachers using assertive discipline reduced the off-task and disruptive behavior of a male kindergarten student by defining behavioral limits and providing positive and negative…

The paper reviews the literature on teachers' perceptions of sexual differences among learning-disabled students. It was concluded that perceived sex differences tend to compound the problems of learning-disabled students with boys rated substantially higher on conduct and behavior problems and girls as more withdrawn. (DB)

In response to the establishment of school-based teacher support teams to assist teachers serving students with learning and behavior problems in the general classroom, this article summarizes data from 5 studies of 96 teams concerning team goals, team impact on student performance and special education referral, reactions of classroom teachers,…

This study evaluated a method for assessing the behavioral function of severe self-injury in four adults with severe/profound mental retardation. Initial assessment included analyzing within-session trends and fluctuations in rates of self-injury by plotting the frequency within each minute of the session. (DB)

Presents interview with 14-year-old gang member and student classified as Severe Behavior Handicapped the day before he was to appear in court. Student explains how he became gang member, feelings toward rival gangs, selling drugs, the trouble he had gotten into, and his feelings about gangs in general. (NB)

The incidence of psychopathology was studied in 176 Italian adults with mental retardation. Prevalence of answers relating to anxiety, tendency to live apart, and body complaints in individuals with mild mental retardation was documented. For people with severe intellectual impairments, mood disturbance with inconsistent behaviors was more…

Examined factors associated with young children's aggression. Observed 104 toddlers during free play with same-sex peer, with both mothers present. Found that early out-of-home care was not related to aggression. Boys were more aggressive than girls. Observed aggression and mother-reported externalizing problems were associated significantly with…

The psychometric properties of the Motivation Assessment Scale were examined using 90 ratings of different problem behaviors among 86 individuals with mental retardation. Although reliability and internal consistency were generally poor, the results depended upon topographies of problem behavior and methods of calculation. The construct validity…

Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools sends up to 100 high-risk/expelled students yearly to two privately operated Richard Milburn campuses. The cost is $3,500 per student. Although these schools lack typical high-school amenities, kids appreciate getting more teacher attention. Houston has a similar, more costly last-resort program. (MLH)

Three experiments were conducted with two participants with mental retardation that displayed property destruction and stereotypy. The experiments assessed the function of the responses, determined their relationship, and developed a treatment to reduce property destruction. Response blocking reduced property destruction (and attempts), prevented…

A brief negative-reinforcement assessment was conducted with five children (ages 4 to 14) with developmental disabilities with severe destructive behavior. Children were trained to engage in an escape response and were presented with a variety of stimuli. For each child, several stimuli were identified that may serve as effective negative…