Examined the effects of change in parental work status on 883 early adolescents' school adjustment. Based on parental work status, families were characterized as deprived, declining, recovery, and stable. Teacher reports indicated that adolescents in deprived and declining families were less competent than adolescents in recovery and stable…

Characteristics of children (n=296) referred to a psychiatric outpatient facility for evaluation of behavioral and school-learning problems were compared to classroom placement recommendations made by a school interdisciplinary team. Results indicate general trends in the relationship between placement options and the incidence and severity of…

This study found that 74 high school students with learning disabilities were more likely than 85 nondisabled students to expect that a teenager trying to convince a peer to engage in misconduct would use simple, direct requests and were less likely to expect requests that minimized the possibility of getting caught. (JDD)

This review identifies effects of systematic abuse of adolescents (physical, sexual, or psychological); the relationship of maltreatment to classroom behavior problems; intervention; and classroom management issues (e.g., negative consequences, sexuality, dependency behaviors). Educators are encouraged to provide an integrative rehabilitative…

This commentary on a paper (EC 603 646) describing a natural reinforcement project of Communidad Los Horcones (Mexico) notes that the original paper lacks auxiliary procedures for students whose behaviors are not controlled by described procedures, offers no guidance on curriculum structure, and fails to recognize potential opposition to such…

Maintains that parents and physicians should adopt a tender love, rather than a tough love, approach when dealing with adolescents with behavior problems. The discussion is highlighted by a case study of a 15-year-old boy. (BB)

Evidence suggests that sexual abuse has serious long-term effects; but specific effects, independent of force, threatened force, or family variables such as parental psychopathology, are not yet clarified. Effects among adults in terms of their relationship to sexual dysfunction, depression, anxiety, fear, multiple or borderline personality…

Analysis of 15 young children with autism and their mothers as they proceeded through a program of skill training and family support found that behavior problems were significantly reduced and teaching skills were significantly improved over the course of training. The difficulty of the task was related to behavior problems and teaching skills.…

Presents findings of an analysis of job stress among secondary school teachers in Malta. Reports that one-third of 545 respondents rated teaching as stressful or very stressful. Identifies pupil misbehavior, poor working conditions, poor staff relations, and time pressures as leading contributors to stress. Examines the influence of demographic…

Discusses the causes of biting behavior and techniques that parents and educators can use to manage biting toddlers. Notes that solutions need to consider the developmental level and needs of the child, the influence of the child's environment, and the role of adults in the child's life. (MDM)

Reports on psychological support for emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children in 286 state day or boarding schools and 83 independent schools in Great Britain. Concludes that many flaws exist in the educational structure and that a full-time psychologist is necessary for both the student and teachers. (CFR)

This article describes instruments and methods to assess the primary characteristics that define attention deficit disorder (ADD) for the purpose of identification. Issues in ADD assessment include identifying co-occurring disabilities, defining the severity of ADD, and determining the pervasiveness and situational nature of the behavioral…

Investigated association between 87 adolescents' music preferences and psychosocial turmoil. Adolescents who preferred heavy metal and rap music had higher incidence of below-average school grades, school behavior problems, sexual activity, drug and alcohol use, and arrests. When gender was controlled, only below-average school grades and history…

This study evaluated the impact of a pilot training package designed to teach six mothers observation and recording skills regarding their children's behaviors. Preliminary data, gathered in an analogue setting, provide modest support for the package's effectiveness, based on improvements in levels of agreement with the professional's data…

Guidelines are presented for individualizing daily schedules or routines to reflect better the preferred lifestyles of persons with severe handicaps. Four dimensions that can be systematically manipulated to address challenging behavior are presented, including timing of routines, form of the activities, pattern of succession of activities, and…