Challenging student behavior remains one of the biggest trials for classroom teachers. Understanding why a student performs a specific behavior is important in determining how to develop an intervention that targets the function of the behavior. This column focuses on how thinking functionally about behavior can help teachers understand why…

A look at one student who began with challenging behaviors and was nonverbal and through intensive instruction was able to gain literacy skills in order to communicate her needs and wants through the dedication of the teacher.

Students with developmental disabilities have been found to exhibit higher rates of problem behavior in the classroom than their typically developing peers. Effectively addressing these students' behavior concerns requires the identification of interventions that can be implemented in an educational setting. Furthermore, matching intervention…

Repetitive sensory motor behaviors are a direct target for clinical treatment and a potential treatment endpoint for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. By removing the burden associated with video annotation or direct observation, automated detection of stereotypy would allow for longer term monitoring in ecologic…

The purpose of this diagnostic accuracy study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity (among other indicators) of three universal screening approaches, including the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS), a SAEBRS-based teacher nomination tool, and a multiple gating procedure (MGP). Each screening approach was…

Anger is a central characteristic of negative affect and is relatively stable from infancy onward. Absolute levels of anger typically peak in early childhood and diminish as children become socialized and better able to regulate emotions. From infancy to school age, however, there are also individual differences in rank-order levels of anger. For…

Background: There is a growing evidence base about the effectiveness of positive behavioural support (PBS) in relation to behaviours that challenge (CB). There is, however, limited research from the perspective of individuals receiving this support. The objective of this qualitative study was to obtain the views of participants with an…

Background: The current literature examining how community violence exposure (CVE) differentially relates to oppositional behaviors and conduct problems, as well as factors that impact this link, is limited. Further research is needed to examine these relationships to understand the etiologies of these disorders and what factors can buffer the…

African-American boys who receive exclusionary discipline (i.e. in- or out-of-school suspensions) are overrepresented at the elementary (kindergarten through fifth grade) level. Although African-American boys comprised only 15% of the population of this school, they accounted for 70% of the exclusionary discipline incidents. This…

This book tackles basic issues involved in constructing sound functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) and behavior intervention plans (BIPs). Written in the author's trademark conversational style, contents pinpoint ways to teach new skills and alternative behaviors to address behavioral challenges. Teachers, counselors, and others will learn how…

The purpose of the current two-experiment study was to examine the use of a preference assessment for dimensions of reinforcement to inform an effective token economy arrangement. Three participants diagnosed with developmental disabilities who engaged in negatively reinforced problem behavior participated in this study. During Experiment 1, a…

Restorative Justice is a principle-based method of responding to disruptive behaviors in the field of criminal justice. Restorative Justice practices have proven to be a successful method of providing solutions in handling disciplinary actions. According to a report from The Center for Civil Rights Remedies conducted in 2011, out of school…

Observed frequently within higher education settings, student incivility need to be dealt with since they affect teaching-learning process adversely. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of student incivility in higher education and coping techniques employed by academics. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected…

The Boxall Profile is one of the most frequently used tools to measure the social, emotional, behavioural and/or mental health difficulties (SEMH) of children and young people in schools across the UK. However, limited evidence exists regarding the norms and psychometric properties of the tool. The current study used data from 487 primary…

Autism spectrum disorder and anxiety are highly comorbid conditions. Understanding the underlying traits of anxiety in autism spectrum disorder is crucial to prevent and treat it efficiently. Hence, this study determined whether social communication difficulties or restricted repetitive behaviors are stronger risk factors for anxiety symptoms in…