Social narratives (e.g., Social Stories™) are common antecedent-based interventions promoted for the purposes of improving prosocial behaviors and reducing challenging behavior for children with and without disabilities. Although they are commonly prescribed and used, their effectiveness has almost exclusively been assessed for children with…

Many gifted characteristics overlap the symptoms of attention deficity-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The potential for the misdiagnosis of giftedness as ADHD exists, but so does the potential for a dual diagnosis of giftedness and ADHD. A decade after the misdiagnosis of giftedness as ADHD was first investigated we examine lessons learned…

In recent years, the number of children receiving cochlear implants who have significant disabilities in addition to their deafness has increased substantially. However, in comparison with the extensive literature on speech, language, and communication outcomes following pediatric implantation in children without complex needs, the available…

Social reciprocity deficits are a core feature of the autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This review summarizes the state of research in group-based social skills training programs for school-age children and adolescents with ASD. All published studies of group social skills interventions between 1985 and 2006 were reviewed, as well as dissertations…

The multiple baseline design has utility for evaluating instructional programs used with mentally retarded persons; however, there are several possible pitfalls of measurement in using this design. Ss' performance may be inadvertently altered by (1) repeated testing during baseline, (2) procedural contrast between training and testing, (3)…

Analysis indicated that a surprisingly small percentage of authors used the American Association on Mental Deficiency (AAMD) classification system and a relatively large percentage of investigators misclassified their Ss when test scores were reported. (Author/CL)

A number of measurement and design issues that are critical to the use of multiple baseline procedures in evaluating instructional interventions with mentally retarded persons are highlighted. (For related information, see EC 122 157.) (Author/CL)

A review of research relating to the role of genetic factors in the hyperactive child syndrome is presented. Twin studies have been limited and adoption studies have been methodologically weak. Findings, however, are consistent and suggest that the genetic transmission hypothesis is plausible. (PHR)

The article reviews the literature on auditory perceptual impairments in children with language disorders. It is suggested that, rather than a higher order cognitive or "linguistic" deficit, the underlying deficit in childhood language disorders is a perceptual one. (Author)

Using meta-analysis techniques, the study sought to identify, integrate, and synthesize the literature from 61 articles which review the efficacy of various treatments for hyperactive children. The major objectives were to determine if drugs can be used effectively with hyperactive children, what child and intervention characteristics covary with…

The paper reviews the research literature and reports a study designed to investigate the relationship between hyperactivity, the related disorders of aggressivity and inattentiveness, and childhood depression in a sample of 18 severely emotionally disturbed boys (5 to 13 years old) served by a residential school and treatment center. Results…

Reviews the Screening Assessment for Gifted Elementary Students (SAGES) noting that, unlike most instruments currently used to identify children who may qualify for gifted education programs, this test was designed specifically for that purpose. Notes a secondary purpose of the test is to reduce bias in the testing of gifted children. (NH)

The authors review the impact of research hypotheses and subject characteristics on the validity of observations. About half of the research articles ran substantial risk of biased observation; in about three-fourths of these articles, no precautions were taken by the researchers to safeguard the validity of their observations. (Author)

An analysis of the research literature suggests that a variety of sign systems have been used with retarded individuals of varying ages. The application or success or failure of that therapy does not seem to be determined by a particular treatment model and/or set of guidelines. (Author)

All methods reviewed significantly discriminate between groups of brain damaged and unimpaired children. No method, however, provides successful predictive rates high enough to warrant the use of the Bender as the sole diagnostic instrument in individual cases. (Author)