A study investigated how positive behavior support was experienced and understood by team members (n=19) from four residential, community-based teams who achieved positive outcomes for adults with severe challenging behaviors. Findings from the study depict an overall culture of support consisting of interrelated layers of social context.…

Article introduces this journal's themes that are used to discuss issues surrounding analysis of multilevel data. It cites Butler's work on whether the effect of welfare benefits on premarital childbearing varies by context, Hoffman's work on the effect of context on adolescent drug use, and Simons' research on how the relationship between…

The relationship between family environment and delinquency was assessed with 9th grade students (N=127) who completed the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales and a version of Self-Report Delinquency Scale. Results suggest the relationship was moderated by whether the family had traditional or nontraditional living arrangements.…

This study examined effects of an intervention (planned play, use of conversational social interaction strategies, and evaluation of play strategies) on the social-communicative interactions of six preschool children at risk for language delays and behavior problems. The intervention led to increases in social communicative behaviors, use of…

Explored relations between additive and cumulative representations of contextual risk, caregiver emotionality, child adaptability, and teacher reports of problem behaviors of 6- and 7-year-olds from economically disadvantaged families. Found evidence that the relation for cumulative risk may be moderated by caregiver negative emotionality and…

Investigates the relations among consultant and consultee verbalizations and behavioral consultation treatment outcomes. The study consisted of analyses of a database generated from three behavioral consultation training grants which included 25 graduate student consultants, 26 teacher consultees, and 102 children with emotional disabilities…

Investigated relations among parenting, sibling relationship, peer group, and adolescents' externalizing behaviors. Found that contributions of parental negativity, parental monitoring, and sibling negativity to adolescents' externalizing behaviors operated directly and also indirectly through deviant peer associations. Relationships varied as a…

Three studies examined mothers' reactions to and thoughts about sibling conflict and aggression. Most mothers attributed sibling conflict to a variety of factors. Maternal intervention was related to contextual factors, including mothers' own tolerance. Although preschoolers' mothers expected that physical aggression would decline with increasing…

Contrasts the use of behavioral and developmental theories to address a child's aggression. Presents concerns about the use of social reinforcers, activity reinforcers, and tangible reinforcers. Asserts that behavioral techniques that shape children's surface behaviors without placing the behaviors within a developmental context may interfere with…

This article discusses requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act amendments of 1997 for functional assessments of behavior (FABs) and provision of positive behavioral supports (PBSs). It describes steps in implementing FABs and examples of appropriate PBSs with students with disabilities. (Contains references.) (Author/DB)

Studies have often shown that while teachers may leave the field because of low pay or societal views toward education, another reason teachers choose to leave is student behavior. On a daily basis, teachers, either inexperienced or experienced, face a multitude of behavioral issues in their classrooms. These behavioral issues may range from the…

Objective: To evaluate the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in a U.S. national population sample of children and adolescents, develop normative scoring bands, and test the association of high-scoring groups with service contacts or use for mental health reasons. Method: An Americanized version of the Strengths and Difficulties…

This article reports the results of an in-depth, descriptive study of long-term welfare recipients. A random sample of 284 respondents, all of whom had received public assistance for at least 36 months, were interviewed. Results illustrate personal barriers to self-sufficiency, including physical health problems that prevent work, severe domestic…

Cognitive interventions have been shown to promote learning and confront behavioral challenges among youth. Many programs report to reduce violence and aggression among youth. Positive interventions with a solid evidence base offer the most promising strategies to address behavioral problems with youth. Six model evidence-based interventions…

This study examined the personality characteristics of 180 boys and girls of ages 8, 9, and 10 with learning disabilities (LD) in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade in urban and rural primary schools of Andhrapradesh, India. The subjects were identified based on their scholastic achievement on a spelling dictation test, an oral reading test, a reading…