Behavioral consultation has been shown to be an effective way for school psychologists to work with teachers in implementing interventions for student problem behavior. Some teachers are resistant to the behavioral consultation process and thereby fail to implement agreed upon interventions with integrity, which is problematic considering the…

The author was favorably impressed with the breadth, scope, and quality of the articles in this issue that dealt with the various aspects and correlates of social behavioral functioning as well as assessment and intervention considerations. Each of these articles dealt with a unique aspect of social behavioral functioning in children and youth and…

This article provides a review of current practices and tools used in the proactive screening of behaviorally at-risk students within the context of schooling. While there are many obstacles to the early detection of vulnerable students, some recent developments have helped make educators more receptive to early identification and prevention…

Reviews and critiques relevance of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition-Revised (DSM-III-R) for school psychological practice. Presents five misguided assumptions upon which DSM-III-R use is based, dealing with medical model conceptualization of behavior; reliability; validity; relevance for special education…

Responds to critiques by Reynolds and by Hynd of previous article (Gresham and Gansle, this issue) which reviewed relevance of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition-Revised (DSM-III-R), and noted irrelevance of DSM-III-R for school psychology practice. Addresses misconceptions/misconstruals of objective facts in…

This article reviews the current status of school consultation research and critiques the research methodologies used in consultation research. Major theoretical models in which consultation research has been conducted are briefly described. Consultation research is reviewed in three primary areas of investigation: (1) outcome research; (2)…

Although functional behavioral assessments (FBA) have long been considered "best practice" in the field of applied behavior analysis, their use by school psychologists has a much briefer history. To assist school psychologists in becoming better acquainted with FBA, this article overviews the conceptual foundations and underlying principles of FBA…

The multitrait multimethod model of test validation is a conceptual approach for collecting, organizing, and integrating this information in making classification and intervention decisions for handicapped children. Typical problems with assessment practice are discussed with suggestions for overcoming these difficulties using the…

Behavior disorders of children are conceptualized in terms of resistance to intervention; children are considered to have a behavior disorder if their behavioral excesses or deficits or situationally inappropriate behaviors persist at unacceptable levels after school-based interventions. The factors that contribute to resistance to intervention…

The evidence for the psychometric adequacy of behavioral interviews in terms of traditional psychometric theory and generalizability theory are reviewed. The review resulted in the conclusion that behavioral interviews have some evidence for interrater reliability, content validity, and criterion-related validity. Additional research in several…

This case study illustrates how behavioral consultation can be integrated by the school psychologist using a modification and expansion of Kennedy's "rapid treatment procedure" in eliminating school phobia. The importance of including teachers, parents, and administrators as consultees and participants in the decision-making process is…

Argues for a unifying concept for consultation research and practice based on the principle of social validity, a principle which includes the evaluation of the social importance of the effects produced by intervention procedures. Suggests that relying exclusively on consultees to socially validate goals, procedures, and outcomes is misguided. (75…

School study teams' use of results from traditional psychoeducational measures in determining eligibility for special education is examined. Three groups of students were studied: (1) learning disabled (N=47); (2) mildly mentally retarded (N=43); (3) low achievers (N=60). Relatively low agreement was found between eligibility and research…

School psychologists have experienced difficulties in assessing students' behavior disorders, because of lack of training and problems associated with the traditional medical model of abnormal behavior. An alternative assessment model is described in terms of its five principles: problem solving; functional analysis; multiple operationalism;…

Reviews various methods of social skills assessment with children. Found that behavioral observations, sociometrics, and teacher ratings have been the most often used methods. Suggests school psychologists should utilize all three measures to secure a comprehensive picture of children's social behavior and to obtain some measure of social…