In this comment to a paper by S. Braaten (EC 210 835), in which the Regular Education Initiative (REI) was described as a "patent medicine" for students with behavioral disorders, it is argued that such students are not misidentified or inappropriately placed and that the REI has been misinterpreted and may work. (JDD)

This rejoinder to EC 230 272 defends the original paper (EC 210 835) and argues that the critique reflects a misunderstanding of the nature of the Regular Education Initiative, the inclusion of students with behavioral disorders in reform proposals, the seriousness of the problems of these students, and the nature of patent medicine. (JDD)

This review of studies comparing children with behavioral disorders in different educational settings found that pupils in self-contained programs displayed greater improvement in academic achievement than did similar pupils in regular classes. However, the reverse pattern applied to changes in self-concept. Follow-up data indicated enormous…

A study evaluated the effectiveness of an abbreviated habit reversal procedure to reduce maladaptive oral self-biting in an adolescent boy in residential care. Treatment involved a combination of relaxation and two competing responses (gum chewing and tongue-lip rubbing). The intervention eliminated the biting and the tissue damage it caused.…

A study of 83 children (ages 10-18) with behavior disorders in seven types of programs (parent training programs, outpatient clinic, family preservation programs, treatment foster care, residential group home, acute-care shelter, and inpatient psychiatric hospital) found a high level of correspondence between program restrictiveness and severity…

Results from two studies indicate the nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) clomipramine is more efficacious than the relatively selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor desipramine and placebo in children with autism. A study of the selective SRI fluvoxamine found it to be significantly better than placebo for reducing repetitive…

Oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD) refers to a recurrent pattern of negativistic, defiant, disobedient, and hostile behavior toward authority figures. Research has shown that children with ODD and comorbid mood disorders may be at particular risk for long-term adverse outcomes, including conduct disorder. In this study, the authors examined the…

For the treatment of disruptive behavior disorders, parent training and child social skills training have established efficacy in research settings. But in community settings, these approaches are not often systematically implemented. In a hospital-affiliated psychology practice located in a rural community, parent and child group programs were…

We conducted three studies which examined the performance vs. skill acquisition model of social skills deficits. In Study 1, baseline social behaviors for a random sample of 12 boys with comorbid emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), learning disabilities (LD), language delays, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) revealed that…

Objective: To explore change in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk among teens in outpatient treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs). Method: From December 2002 to August 2004, 50 adolescents (13-19 years) with major depressive disorder, conduct disorder, and one or more non-nicotine SUD completed the Teen Health Survey (THS) at the…

The purpose of the present case report was to evaluate the effects of an individual token economy with a young child with severe behavior disorders. Three behaviors were recorded; time to completion, the number of assignments completed, and the frequency of inappropriate behavior. These data were gathered for 30 minutes each morning. The overall…

While school psychologists are frequently urged to move to a consultation model, little research exists which compares the efficacy of various consultation approaches. This study compared two consultation approaches involving students (N=35) who had attended an intensive 6-week therapeutic residential camp for seriously emotionally handicapped…

This study investigated the incidence of alcohol and/or drug abuse within families of emotionally disturbed/behaviorally disordered children, and the effectiveness of an alcohol and drug awareness curriculum for these children. Subjects were 116 children, aged 6-15, attending a residential and day treatment center. While 35.3% of the children were…

The study reviewed findings on the postschool adjustment of 160 behavior-disordered students who graduated from special education programs in the state of Washington between 1978 and 1986. Among findings were that 17 percent were involved in postsecondary programs, and 60 percent were currently employed. (JW)

Learning disabled and behaviorally disordered third and fourth grade students were taught test taking skills such as attending to appropriate stimuli, marking answers carefully, using time well, and avoiding errors. These students scored significantly higher than their untrained peers on the Word Study Skills subtest of the Stanford Achievement…