This study extended the limited research on the utility of tactile prompts and examined the effects of a treatment package on implementation of a token economy by instructional assistants in a classroom for students with disabilities. During baseline, we measured how accurately the assistants implemented a classroom token economy based on the…

A family, whom out of necessity due to a lack of housing, must reside in a shelter, motel, vehicle, campground, on the street, or doubled up with relatives or friends, is considered homeless. Poverty, lack of affordable housing, domestic violence, veteran status, mental illness, and addiction disorders are among the factors that contribute to…

Significant mental health problems can and do occur in young children. In some cases, these problems can have serious consequences for early learning, social competence, and lifelong health. Furthermore, the foundations of many mental health problems that endure through adulthood are established early in life through the interaction of genetic…

The purpose of "Focus" is to provide coverage of poverty-related research, events, and issues, and to acquaint a large audience with the work of the Institute for Research on Poverty by means of short essays on selected pieces of research. This issue features articles drawn from four of the conference papers presented at the September 2007 IRP…

"MCPS School Safety and Security at a Glance" provides, in a single document, information about the reporting of incidents related to school safety and security, including school climate, local school safety program descriptions, and serious incidents in all Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools. The information is presented for…

Focusing on one aspect of a study examining the child-staff ratio in California state-subsidized day care centers, this paper explores the relationship between indicators of quality and the behavior of children in day care centers. In fall 1990, trained observers spent a week in 122 day care classrooms throughout California. During this time they…

Written to meet the affective need of adolescent students to share their feelings and concerns with supportive listeners, this document contains 50 guided discussions on various topics relating to three focus areas: the self, the self and others, and stress. Under the focus of the self topics include: personal strengths and limitations; behind the…

This paper discusses linkages between play, healthy social and emotional development, and behavior management in young children. Play is defined as pleasurable, self-motivated, non-goal-directed, and spontaneous behavior, free from adult-imposed rules. Many children have limited time available for play because they are directed by adults in day…

This report discusses disciplining children with disabilities in schools, in the context of the legal requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Practical concepts are explained in terms of the school's responsibility to: (1) maintain a safe environment; (2) teach a code of discipline to all students; (3) use the…

The fourth in a series of federally supported modules for training paraprofessional school personnel who work with students with disabilities, this module presents principles and techniques of behavior management. Both a facilitator's edition and a student's edition are provided. Chapter 1 introduces the concept of behavior and the role of the…

The numbers of children living in poverty in the United States increased dramatically during the 1980s and remains high. This collection of essays, with a focus on children rather than on parents' income or self-sufficiency, examines the following questions: Why are so many children growing up in poor families? What are the effects of poverty on…

This paper describes the Early Screening Project (ESP), a system to identify behavior problems among preschool children ages 3 to 5. The ESP is a three-stage, multiple-gating set of procedures which assesses both the frequency and intensity of adjustment problems. In Stage 1, teachers rank students on externalizing and internalizing behavior…

Developed by the Oklahoma State Department of Health, this booklet is the second in a series that provides tips that parents can use to help their children grow. The booklet is divided into three sections. The first section, "Getting Along as a Person," discusses a child's self-esteem, self-concept, and self-control, and suggests ways for parents…

The major innovation of the American Psychiatric Association's "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual III" (DSM-III) was the explicit specification of criteria for determining whether an individual's problems qualify for a particular diagnosis. However, neither the choice of child diagnostic categories in DSM-III nor the choice of criteria…

This collection of 19 papers offers an Australian perspective on behavior management and behavior change of children and youth with emotional and/or behavior problems. Papers are presented in two sections: national and regional perspectives, and programs and strategies for different contexts. Titles and authors include: "An Evaluation of…